Dangerous Practice A bill to ban forced overtime for nurses in California hospitals is headed to the Senate floor today after winning approval Thursday morning in the State Senate Appropriations Committee. In April, the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee also approved the legislation. The bill prohibits mandatory overtime beyond 8 hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek, except in the case of a natural disaster or in the event of a declaration of emergency by federal, state or local government officials.
Voluntary overtime is exempted.
Action on the bill is expected on the Senate floor early next week. California's efforts to ban mandatory overtime coincide with similar bills that are pending in Washington and a number of state capitols. Increasing numbers of nurses are refusing to work in hospitals with what they regard as unsafe conditions, including when they are forced to work unplanned overtime hours. This bill will protect nurses and patients. It is very much needed.