Healthcare Staffing Report: Sept. 19, 2013

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Staffing firm settling nurse suit for $1.8 million

U.S. Nursing Corp. agreed to a $1.77 million settlement in a class action lawsuit in federal court that involves more than 2,500 temporary nurses who filled in at California hospitals during labor disputes, according to court records.

The settlement received preliminary approval in June, but a final approval hearing is scheduled for later this year.

Among claims in the lawsuit: U.S. Nursing didn’t compensate nurses for time spent on buses traveling to and from hotels or time spent waiting at hospitals before and after their shifts.

The company also had a policy to automatically deduct 30 minutes of work time any day a nurse’s timesheet did not record a meal period, irrespective of whether patient needs or lack of relief actually prevented the nurse from taking a meal period, according to court documents. Additionally, the company paid the nurses on a weekly basis while the law mandates temporary employees working during labor disputes be paid on a daily basis, according to court records.

The case was originally filed in July 2012.

U.S. Nursing admits no wrongdoing in the settlement agreement. The company declined to comment on the case.

Dan Gildor, attorney for the plaintiff, said the settlement was reached fairly quickly.

“They seemed genuinely interested in correcting their practices and settling the claims and moving on,” Gildor said.

The case is Shameka Bolton v. U.S. Nursing Corp.