Nationwide VAMC – Unpaid Meal Break Overtime Lawsuit

In November 2019, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of Registered Nurses employed at the Northport Medical Center in Northport, New York who were forced to work through their 30 minute unpaid meal period due to staffing shortages and workload.

The lawsuit alleges that the VA violated federal law, rule and regulation by inducing Registered Nurses (I, II, and/or III) to work through their unpaid meal period without providing them additional compensation of overtime pay or compensatory time. We have heard different reasons for why RNs have been required to work through their unpaid meal period ranging from staffing shortages, to patient care requirements, to a lack of supervisory controls. Regardless of the reasons, being forced to work during an unpaid meal period without compensation is against the law.

We have heard from RNs employed at VAMCs across the country that this practice is not limited to the Northport VAMC. If you have worked through your unpaid meal period and have not received overtime or compensatory time please complete the form to the right for additional information. If you would like to follow the Northport VAMC case you can click here for updates.