Nurses who testified before the U.S. Senate helped to change overtime pay provisions in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to benefit nurses. Announced in late April, the revisions allow overtime pay for RNs who are paid by the hour (rather than salaried) and who make under $100,000 a year. Previously, the annual cutoff income was $65,000. The FLSA revisions also allow overtime pay for certain other professionals, including LPNs, emergency medical technicians, and police officers.
The FLSA changes the ground rules for determining which employees can earn premium pay for working more than 40 hours in 1 week. Nurses with the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA), some of whom testified before the Senate, plan to carefully review the FLSA's language regarding RNs and their overtime pay. Members of the PSNA urge nurses to continue to monitor the situation. To read the FLSA, go to the Department of Labor's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm.