Common use of Meals and Breaks Clause in Contracts

Meals and Breaks. The basic workday shall be eight (8) hours to be worked within eight and one-half (8½) consecutive hours, including a one-half (1/2) hour meal period on the nurse’s own time; and one fifteen (15) minute rest period without loss of pay during each four (4) hour period of employment, as scheduled by the Medical Center. 1. If a nurse is specifically requested by the Medical Center to remain at his/her duty station during a meal period, such period shall be paid time. For purposes of this paragraph a nurse is deemed to have been requested to remain at his/her duty station if he/she is the only nurse assigned to an organized nursing unit for a shift, unless: a. The nurse actually leaves his/her duty station during such meal period, or b. The Medical Center provides in writing for alternate coverage of the unit during the meal period. 2. Patient care units may substitute other pre-arranged rest period schedules with the approval of the unit’s manager. If a nurse cannot be relieved for all or part of a scheduled or pre-arranged rest period and is not given alternative rest period time during the shift, the nurse should report this immediately to the nurse’s charge nurse, supervisor or manager.