Adds home care visits to existing provisions of law prohibiting health care employers from requiring a nurse to work more than such nurse's regularly scheduled work hours, including regularly scheduled home care visits.
Impact
If enacted, S07994 would clarify the definition of 'regularly scheduled work hours' for nurses, which now includes home care visits and associated activities necessary for patient safety, such as shift report communications. By codifying these protections, the legislation aims to strengthen workers' rights in the healthcare industry, particularly for registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses. This bill could also lead to changes in staffing practices within healthcare organizations, encouraging them to adhere strictly to agreed schedules and avoid imposing demanding work hours on nurses.
Summary
Bill S07994 is a legislative proposal aimed at amending labor and education laws concerning nurses working in home care settings. The bill prohibits healthcare employers from requiring nurses to work beyond their regularly scheduled hours, including home care visits. This measure is intended to ensure that nurses have the right to refuse additional hours without fear of repercussions or being deemed negligent in their care duties. The legislation reflects an increasing awareness of the challenges faced by healthcare professionals, particularly in maintaining a work-life balance while ensuring quality patient care.
Contention
There may be pushback against S07994 from healthcare employers concerned about operational challenges arising from the constraints on overtime and scheduling flexibility. Critics might argue that such limitations could lead to staffing shortages or reduced availability for patients needing care during peak hours. Proponents, on the other hand, emphasize the importance of safeguarding nurses' rights and wellbeing, noting that overextension can negatively impact patient care quality and lead to burnout among professionals in the field.
Same As
Adds home care visits to existing provisions of law prohibiting health care employers from requiring a nurse to work more than such nurse's regularly scheduled work hours, including regularly scheduled home care visits.
Provides for universal newborn nurse home visiting services; requires health insurance coverage for universal newborn nurse home visiting services; authorizes the department of health to apply for certain waivers; directs the superintendent of financial services to require an insurer, health carrier or health benefit plan to notify enrollees annually of universal newborn nurse home visiting services.
Provides for universal newborn nurse home visiting services; requires health insurance coverage for universal newborn nurse home visiting services; authorizes the department of health to apply for certain waivers; directs the superintendent of financial services to require an insurer, health carrier or health benefit plan to notify enrollees annually of universal newborn nurse home visiting services.
Prohibits employers from requiring or requesting employees working at home to install monitoring software on the personal electronic device of such employee, limits monitoring on an electronic device provided by the employer to the website browsing history of such employee, and prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to leave a camera on while such employee is working from home; provided, however, an employer may require an employee to utilize a video communication program for work-related activities.
Relates to providing more predictable and stable schedules for employees in low-wage occupations; provides that an employer shall pay an employee for at least 4 hours at the basic minimum hourly wage for each day an employee reports for work as instructed but is given less than four hours of work.
Relates to providing more predictable and stable schedules for employees in low-wage occupations; provides that an employer shall pay an employee for at least 4 hours at the basic minimum hourly wage for each day an employee reports for work as instructed but is given less than four hours of work.
Requires employers of retail, food service or cleaning employees to give such employees 7 days' notice of their work schedule and a month's notice of the minimum hours of work; provides a private right of action to employees who are aggrieved by certain violations of such provisions.
Requires employers of retail, food service or cleaning employees to give such employees 7 days' notice of their work schedule and a month's notice of the minimum hours of work; provides a private right of action to employees who are aggrieved by certain violations of such provisions.