4 Washington State Hospitals Face Lawsuits for Not Providing Nurses with Rest Breaks

Representing more than 16,000 registered nurses in the state, the Washington State Nurses Association has filed lawsuits against four hospitals for failing to provide nurses with adequate rest and meal breaks, according to a WSNA news release.

The lawsuit against Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, Wash., alleges the hospital does not pay its registered nurses the wages required by the Minimum Wage Act when a missed rest break pushes a nurse into overtime hours. The lawsuit seeks back pay owed to the nurses and also to improve Good Samaritan’s record keeping practices for missed rest breaks.

The lawsuit against Tacoma (Wash.) General Hospital alleges the hospital does not pay its registered nurses the required wages for missed rest breaks and also does not have an adequate record keeping policy for missed rest breaks.

The lawsuit against Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, Wash., alleges the hospital is also not paying its registered nurses the wages required when a missed rest break pushes a nurse into overtime hours. The lawsuit similarly seeks back pay and a better record keeping policy.

Finally, the lawsuit against Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, Wash., alleges the hospital fails to keep adequate records of missed rest breaks, and by doing so, fails to comply with a State Supreme Court decision requiring employers to treat missed rest breaks as time worked. Nurses at Holy Family do not always receive the wages they are owed when they work through a rest break, including when the rest break pushes a nurse into overtime hours.

Read the WSNA release about the lawsuits against Washington State hospitals.

Read more about nurse and hospital relationships:

-More Patients Mean More Nurses at University of Iowa Hospitals

-Nursing Center Created to Alleviate Nebraska Nursing Shortage

-Nurses Begin Three-Day Strike at Children's Hospital Oakland


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