Are Rotational Weekly Offs in Hospitals Fair When Nurses Work Over 7 Days Straight?

Dear Experts,

Seeking your points of view on weekly offs in hospitals. XYZ Hospital gives weekly offs to its staff nurses on a rotational basis (not on Sunday), provided weekly off eligibility is based on how many Sundays fall in a particular month. For example, in September 2024, there are four Sundays. The staff nurses are allowed to take four Mondays off for September. In October 2024, once again, there are four Sundays, and the weekly offs are scheduled by the supervisor to be taken between Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to this arrangement, employees end up working more than 7 days continuously to earn 1 day off during the first week of October. In this scenario, the standard clause of working 6 days and having 1 day of rest is not being followed. Is this the right approach for hospitals?

Thank you.

Let's suppose the hospital has 6 staff nurses. Nurse rotation schedule

Nurse 1 will take off on Monday and work from Tuesday to Sunday. Nurse 2 will take off on Tuesday and work from Wednesday to Monday. Nurse 3 will take off on Thursday and work from Friday to Wednesday, and so on.

If there are more than 6 staff nurses, there may be a 2/3 nurses rotation in a similar manner. Therefore, there will be no day off on Sunday.

Regards, S K Bandyopadhyay (WB, Howrah) CEO-USD HR Solutions [Phone Number Removed For Privacy-Reasons] [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

The process is wrong. If you are changing the weekly off, it needs to be brought forward, not pushed back. You cannot have the nurse work for 7 days without a weekly off. It is a violation of many regulations.

So if she had Friday off in September, in October it should be Thursday off, and in November, Wednesday off.

Weekly Off Days in Hospitals

Sunday is not an official holiday or weekly off day for the employee; it can be any day of the week. The establishment (Hospital) remains open all seven days. Therefore, employees working at the establishment get a day off after six days of work. Sunday is the off day for those working from Monday to Saturday. Similarly, Monday is the weekly off day for those working from Tuesday to Sunday.

Considerations for Weekly Off Days

The weekly off days are not fixed arbitrarily; various aspects are considered to ensure that each working day runs smoothly with the minimum required manpower. Generally, hospitals close certain departments on a particular day of the week so that more employees can have their off days on that day. An employee's weekly off days cannot be changed every month but may be adjusted quarterly or semi-annually once the roster is completed. It is not possible to determine the off days without knowing the working hours and staff strength of the establishment. The suggestions provided above are based on general conditions.

Time Off Policy in Hospitals

This is the correct process if the hospital is giving time off after 6 days of work, including on the 7th day. Many industries operate with rotational shifts and can provide time off on any day of the week.

Weekly Offs in Essential Services

There is no rule mandating 'Sunday' as a weekly holiday for all employees. There should be one day as a weekly off, which can be on any day, depending on the work roster provided by the HOD/Establishment concerned. This means an employee will be allowed to avail a 'rest day,' and it can be by rotation.

A hospital, being an essential service operation, cannot practically close for a weekly holiday like other establishments. Hospitals are required to remain open 24/7, 365 days a year. This may not apply to clinics where there are no in-patient facilities and only a few staff members are working.

Rotational Weekly Offs

For the purpose of 'rotational weekly off,' a roster is prepared to indicate who will be on duty in A-B-C shifts and who will have a weekly off. Normally, it's prepared every month or quarterly. Some units have a flexible system allowing staff to adjust among themselves to accommodate emergency requirements of colleagues, ensuring their needs are met without hassle.

At times, paramedical and support staff may be required to work overtime in situations where shortages arise, and expertise and experienced individuals are needed, especially in critical situations. The system of rotation works well not only in healthcare but in various other sectors as well.