Overtime pay for 12 hour shifts in CA?

jsteine1 · Aug 4, 2005

In California, Overtime for any hours over 8 in one day is overtime.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 4, 2005

Hello and welcome the family of allnurses Chey. :)

suzanne4, RN · Aug 4, 2005

Not necessarily.

Depends if a waiver has been signed by the hospital staff.

Also, dependson where your agency is based, if not in California, then you are not employed by a California company.

You may also find that it works out better to get the overtime just after 40 hours per week, I know that I come out further ahead by doing that. You will need to crunch the numbers both ways to see what works for you.

s2krn · Aug 18, 2005

Get this in writing before you go on your assignment. Some companies will not pay time and a half over 8 hours in Ca. They get away with it by not having an office in CA. If it is an out of state agency they can and will screw you.

promed · Aug 18, 2005

Get this in writing before you go on your assignment. Some companies will not pay time and a half over 8 hours in Ca. They get away with it by not having an office in CA. If it is an out of state agency they can and will screw you.

An out of state agency can and will screw you? I guess you have a bad taste iin your mouth from a previous experience? Not every agency is out to "screw you". And FYI, by the time out of state agencies pay the exorbitant taxes the state of CA demands for the privelege of sending nurses there on assignment, the profit margin is considerably less and at times, OT paid after 8 hours on a 12 hour shift may not even allow them to cover the costs of the assignment. For instance, my housing, my worker's comp and med/mal insurance, the payroll department that keeps my check coming, the overhead to run the office that I contribute to, my salary & travel expenses - well you get the picture. At some point we have to be reasonable if we want to enjoy this lifestyle in the future.

s2krn · Aug 19, 2005

An out of state agency can and will screw you? I guess you have a bad taste iin your mouth from a previous experience? Not every agency is out to "screw you". And FYI, by the time out of state agencies pay the exorbitant taxes the state of CA demands for the privelege of sending nurses there on assignment, the profit margin is considerably less and at times, OT paid after 8 hours on a 12 hour shift may not even allow them to cover the costs of the assignment. For instance, my housing, my worker's comp and med/mal insurance, the payroll department that keeps my check coming, the overhead to run the office that I contribute to, my salary & travel expenses - well you get the picture. At some point we have to be reasonable if we want to enjoy this lifestyle in the future.

I'm not saying all travel companies are out to screw you!! I traveled for 4 years full time and had a wonderful experience. There are agencies out there paying 10 dollars less an hour to do the same job at the same hospital. If you don't do your research then you can and will get screwed, but then I guess it would be your fault. I don't get excited about working the exact same job as someone else and get paid less. All I'm saying is ask questions. Many nurses have gotten to an assignment and realized they are not getting what they were promised. ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WERE PROMISED IN WRITING. If the company is billing for time and a half after 8 hours and not paying you that rate then yes they are SCREWING you. Supply and demand; it's simple. I'm not going to go buy a new car from a dealership and pay 5 thousand dollars more for the same car i can get cheaper down the street. Most people who travel with companies paying less and not giving them their OT money only do so because they don't know any better. Many times on travel assignments my travel coworkers switched agencies once they learned how little they were getting paid. I've had an excellent experience with On Assignment, Fastaff, and Supplemental. But there are other companies who had the exact same contracts each place I went paying much less. I wasn't in traveling to have some company hold my hand and tell me how nice the scenery is where I was on contract. Work Less, Make More and take time off for vacation.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 19, 2005

I do not get the overtime for the last four hours but I do get overtime for anything over 40 hours per week, and come out ahead of the other travellers where I am. It depends on your agency, as well as what else is being provided for you.