What state should I move to now the Washington State legislature is trying to force me to work seven days a week? (HB 1155)

Emergent, RN · Apr 22, 2019

1 hour ago, klone said:
Maybe drive through in January? Seriously, it's cold there in the winter. I'm not sure why you feel the need to argue this. It's, like, near Canada.

I didn't bring up the subject of weather, someone else did. I merely gave 3 states in the general region that I like.

If someone wants weather similar to Western Washington, go down to Oregon west of the Cascades.

My point is, Idaho and Utah are not super harsh regarding weather. Certainly, if you dislike northern climates, live further South, but the OP is living up here already.

missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2019

We should all be outraged. Outraged that non-clinical people are making decisions for nurses as if they understand nursing. Outraged that they don't consider the risks for the patient, outraged that they believe nurses do not need breaks, as if our title, our job, our very way of making a living somehow exempts us from the federal break mandate for workers.

Washington Meal Breaks

Washington requires employees who work 5 hours to get at least a 30-minute break. This break must be given no earlier than 2 hours and no later than 5 hours after the start of a shift.

And, special rules for minors apply. Employees who are 14 and 15 years old can go no longer than 4 hours without being given a meal period of at least 30 minutes. Employees who are 16 and 17 years old cannot be required to work more than 5 hours without a meal break of at least 30 minutes. This break must also start between the 2nd and the 5th hours of the shift.

Another 30-minute meal break must be provided before an overtime shift that is 3 hours longer than the normal workday.

In Washington, meal breaks can be unpaid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all work duties. If the employee is required to remain on the work premises or at a prescribed place, then the meal break must be paid. (!!)

But, what happens if an employee misses a meal break?

The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that an employer is not automatically liable if an employee misses a meal break because an employee can waive the break. Employers can rebut any allegations of break-law violations by showing that no violation occurred or showing a valid waiver.

Understand they do not want to pay us for breaks. If they start on nurses, then maybe they can take breaks away from fast food workers, or retail workers, or city employees, or federal employees.

This is as basic as it gets, workers (including nurses) deserve breaks. It's a federal law. They are trying to take that away from us. We already give up our breaks for our employers, who punish us because we clock "no lunch". And you're going to argue with fellow nurses asking for the basic federal right? STOP

JKL33 · Apr 22, 2019

Meh, forget all this. Just move to Vegas, the Nursing capital of the world.

??

Thanksforthedonuts, MSN, APRN · Apr 22, 2019

I live in the Seattle area and had been eyeing Boise (not cause of this bill) ... Seattle is changing and I'm growing a bit tired of it. Sadly I was born and raised here so I would hate to leave.

Carry on.

Emergent, RN · Apr 22, 2019

7 hours ago, Thanksforthedonuts said:
I live in the Seattle area and had been eyeing Boise (not cause of this bill) ... Seattle is changing and I'm growing a bit tired of it. Sadly I was born and raised here so I would hate to leave.
Carry on.

Sadly, the Seattle area has become too expensive. The rents and property taxes are out of sight. They should have put a decent public transportation system in years ago and now are playing catch up.

They're a magnet city for vagrants and drug addicts. Then, they do a few token environment type laws and pat themselves on the backs, the gullible public lapping it up.

CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P · Apr 22, 2019

It's a short bill, easy to read. No, I don't read every bill that may or may not affect me but there are always summaries to bills that make for fairly quick reading. The bill itself isn't bad, it probably needs some more amendments and perhaps some exceptions. The representative in question was a complete dunderhead to say what she said, that we can all agree on. Vote wisely, people.

Thanksforthedonuts, MSN, APRN · Apr 22, 2019

7 hours ago, Emergent said:
Sadly, the Seattle area has become too expensive. The rents and property taxes are out of sight. They should have put a decent public transportation system in years ago and now are playing catch up.
They're a magnet city for vagrants and drug addicts. Then, they do a few token environment type laws and pat themselves on the backs, the gullible public lapping it up.

I wholeheartedly agree. Violence is increasingly significantly. And housing prices are still ridiculous pricing out middle class families. Somethings gotta give.

_firefly, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 23, 2019

Si

morte, LPN, LVN · Apr 23, 2019

On ‎4‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 10:54 AM, Wuzzie said:
I’m sorry for your circumstances but the bill isn’t forcing you to work 7 days a week.

it will, if they take away 12s

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Apr 23, 2019

What I really don't understand about all this is why any legislature would feel the need to create a law dictating the hours any profession can work? Before somebody brings it up they can't use the "it's for the public's good" argument too effectively. Police, firefighters, EMT's, heck even military all work to protect the public and I don't believe any of those professions have ever had a bill introduced in State legislation dictating how they can be scheduled.

But then those professions don't have workers that are ultimately paid by a large muti-million or possibly billion dollar money making corporation which is how most health care workers seem be be paid nowadays. Somehow those companies stand to benefit or that bill would have never been sponsored in the first place.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2019

40 minutes ago, kbrn2002 said:
What I really don't understand about all this is why any legislature would feel the need to create a law dictating the hours any profession can work? Before somebody brings it up they can't use the "it's for the public's good" argument too effectively. Police, firefighters, EMT's, heck even military all work to protect the public and I don't believe any of those professions have ever had a bill introduced in State legislation dictating how they can be scheduled.
But then those professions don't have workers that are ultimately paid by a large muti-million or possibly billion dollar money making corporation which is how most health care workers seem be be paid nowadays. Somehow those companies stand to benefit or that bill would have never been sponsored in the first place.

Well, there are laws limiting the number of hours certain people can work in a given period, in the interest of public safety. Those which come immediately to mind are truck drivers, those in aviation, and physicians in residency. However, other than minors, I'm not aware of any laws that would limit a worker's shift to 8 hours.

Forest2 · Apr 23, 2019

Oh brother. right fighters.