For several months, WSHA has been providing comments to the Department of Labor and Industries on its pre-scheduled on-call administrative policy. WSHA generally supports the final version of the policy and appreciates the department accepting many of WSHA’s revisions.
WSHA was pleased the final policy has no major substantive revisions, but was disappointed the low-census staffing example was removed from the policy (see the final version of the policy). The administrative policy provides general guidance for the state’s restrictions on mandatory overtime law for nurses (RCW 49.28.130). During this revision process, the department sought comments from WSHA and the nursing unions. The last update to the policy was in 2003. WSHA urges hospitals to review the final policy here. (Chelene Whiteaker)
