Province has paid almost $30 million in overtime to RN and LPN Employees

The province has paid almost $30 million in overtime to Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses over the last year.

For the fiscal year 2020 to 2021, Registered Nurses accumulated $20,470,659 in overtime plus an additional $2,016,147 in pandemic-related overtime.

Licensed Practical Nurses overtime cost $5,483,092 plus $235,770 in pandemic-related overtime.

All the combined figures equal $28,205,668 in overtime expenses.

In a statement to Newfound News from the Department of Health and Community Services, the agency says, "over the last decade, overtime has been trending downward". It added that over the last year there has been a "slight" increase in overtime costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Health and Community Services says it works closely with the regional health authorities to manage the amount of overtime required by Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses.

According to the Registered Nurses Union, there are 5,425 Registered Nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are 3,600 members working in Eastern Health, 680 in Central Health, 830 in Western Health, and 315 in Labrador-Grenfell Health.

There are approximately 1,860 LPN's working in the province.

Article 33 of the Registered Nurses contract is for casual employees where a casual employee has no obligation to the employer to come when they are called and the employer has no obligation to call anyone particular employee. This means that when a casual employee is called to work, they are under no obligation to work.

The Licensed Practical Nurses contract does not allow casual LPN's to refuse shifts. They are required to come to work when called.