The New York State Department of Labor has announced updates to the Labor Law restricting compulsory overtime for nurses.
Effective immediately, health care employers are restricted from requiring nurses to work beyond their standard hours, barring specific circumstances such as a health care disaster, an emergency declaration, or safe patient care requirements during unexpected emergencies or ongoing medical procedures. “This law prevents burnout and empowers our essential health workers,” said Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon.
The revised law mandates that employers notify the NYSDOL when overtime limitations exceptions are applied. Additional reporting is obligatory when these exceptions are employed for fifteen or more days in a month or forty-five days across a three-month span. The law also introduces monetary penalties for violations and mandates that all health care employers display a poster, available in English and Spanish, detailing how nurses can lodge a complaint if they suspect a breach of the law. It further extends its jurisdiction to cover nurses working in facilities licensed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
In accordance with these updates, Jeanette Lazelle has been appointed as the Enforcement Officer, and a campaign to educate health care employers and nurses about the new law is underway. Nurses suspecting law infringements can lodge individual or group complaints online or by calling specified hotlines. More information on the updated law and a list of frequently asked questions can be accessed at dol.ny.gov/mandatory-overtime-nurses.
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