Overtime-Do you get it for over 8 or over 80?

[nurseob7]

The hospital I work at pays overtime for working over 8 hrs in a day -- except to staff that works 12 hour shifts--they get overtime for over 40 hrs in a week. Well, can you believe this? If you work the night shift and have to stay over your shift, you do not get overtime because the hospital claims that 7am starts a "new" day -- so therefore, you did not work more than 8 hrs in a day. Isn't that absurd? It has not always been like this. They changed the policy a couple of years ago. And believe it or not, we are unionized. I went to human resources and spoke with the vice president and asked him how they justified such unfair treatment. He said "well, you make more money for working night shift". He was speaking about the shift differential, which currently is $3.75/hr.

I just want to find out if other hospitals nationwide are doing this. I guess it will make me feel a little better if it is a common occurrence in hospitals. If not, I really think the night shift workers should all resign until the policy is changed!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I am in North Central Texas and get paid overtime for anything over 40 hours in a work week.

I think California is one of the few states that pays daily overtime for anything over 8 hours in a work day.

[TazziRN, RN]

When I did 8's I was paid overtime for any hours beyond 8 hours that I worked. If there was a break, for instance, if I went home and came back less than 12 hours later, I was paid overtime.

[Midwest4me]

My workplace is awesome----unbelievably so! I don't work for a hospital but a government institution. We have a union. We get overtime for ANY unscheduled shift we work; one does NOT necessarily have to work 40 hrs to get the overtime! For example in a 40 hr work week if you were on vacation and yet someone called you in to work(and you did so) for another nurse, that is an unscheduled shift so you'd get overtime! Here's another example: Let's say you called in sick the first 2 days of the week, then you worked the last 3 days...but on one of those last 3 days you were mandated (required to stay if no one else volunteers)to work an extra shift (due to staff shortage). You'd get overtime because it was an unscheduled shift. Almost seems like stealing.....but it's in the union contract.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

In my facility, 12 hour shifts dont get OT until after 80 hours. 8 hour shifts get OT after 40.

[Hoozdo, ADN]

Believe it or not, I don't get overtime if I have stay late and chart! If I stay late due to patient care, THEN I get overtime. Unbelievable. I get comp time for charting. To me, this sends the totally wrong message to nurses that charting is more important than pt care! My union will here about this as soon as I have time to tell them :angryfire

[htrn]

We get OT for anything over 40/wk. If we work more than two hours past the end of our shift then we get 'inconvience pay', time and a half - but that has to approved by charge nurse.

[JBudd, MSN]

I'd call the state labor board. :angryfire The day doesn't "start" at 0700, it starts at midnight, hence the change of date. Overtime starts when you have worked your scheduled hours, and then keep working. My hospital pays for after 8 hours for the 8 hour people, those who are contracted for 12 hour shifts get paid for anything over 12.

Where do these people get off by telling you you don't qualify for overtime because they've compensated you for working nights? Talk about faulty logic! :trout:

[jetscreamer101]

Where I work you get OT for anything over 40 hours/week.

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

anything over 40 a week.

[Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP]

That's absolutely ridiculous reasoning! I don't know that I wouldn't have laughed in their face at that response.

[shodobe]

Anything over 10 hours for time and a half, over 12 is double time. I work in Calif so it is anything past 8 hours. I am scheduled 10 hour shifts so my OT doesn't start till after that.