How Overtime Works on 12-Hour Nursing Shifts
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees earn 1.5× their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Three 12-hour shifts is 36 hours, so there's no overtime. A fourth shift brings you to 48 hours, which is 8 hours of overtime.
The 8/80 exception
Hospitals can use an 8/80 system with a written agreement. Overtime is owed for hours over 8 in a day or over 80 in 14 days. That means a 12-hour shift has 4 OT hours built in.
California
California pays 1.5× after 8 hours in a day and 2× after 12. Many hospitals use an approved alternative workweek, where 12-hour shifts are regular time and OT starts after 12.
Example
$40/hr, four 12s, federal rule: 40×$40 + 8×$60 = $2,080.