"Our nurses have relentlessly proven their dedication to this profession and they deserve some relief from the practice of mandatory overtime," said Senator Leibell. "With a population that is living much longer, and major advances in the healthcare community, our nurses play an even more critical role to the care and well-being of their patients. In return, they must be allowed a decent and fair work environment."
This legislation prohibits health care facilities from requiring nurses to work more than their regularly scheduled work hours, but does not place a specific cap on the number of hours that can be worked per day or week.
The prohibition on mandatory overtime would not apply in the following circumstances: natural or other types of disasters that increase the need for nursing services; a federal, state or county declaration of emergency; a nurse engaged in an ongoing medical or surgical procedure; when necessary to provide safe patient care where no other alternative staffing is available; and when nurses voluntarily agree to work overtime.
This bill will take effect in one year in order to give health care employers adequate time to plan for implementation by increasing recruitment efforts, advancing flexible work schedules, and obtaining contracts for temporary services.
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