Time Rounding and Wage Statement Violations in Healthcare
What Nurses Should Know About the Woodworth Case
In Woodworth v. Loma Linda University Medical Center (2023), a registered nurse filed a wage-and-hour lawsuit against her employer alleging several labor law violations, including unpaid wages resulting from the hospital’s time-rounding policy. (JD Supra)
The employer rounded employee time punches to the nearest tenth of an hour when calculating hours worked. The nurse argued that this rounding practice resulted in employees being underpaid for time actually worked. (JD Supra)
The California Court of Appeal reviewed the case and addressed multiple wage-and-hour issues including wage statements, overtime calculations, and rest period premiums.
Key Legal Issue: Time Rounding
Historically, many employers used rounding policies to simplify payroll calculations. However, modern timekeeping systems often record exact minutes worked.
The Court of Appeal emphasized that when employers have the ability to track precise work time, rounding practices that underpay employees may violate California wage laws. (GT L&E Blog)
Why This Matters for Nurses
Healthcare workers often clock in early, stay late charting, or work through breaks. Even small rounding differences can add up to thousands of dollars in unpaid wages over time.
Potential violations include:
- Time rounding that reduces paid hours
- Inaccurate wage statements
- Failure to properly calculate overtime
- Missed rest-break premium pay
Your Rights as a Nurse
California law requires employers to pay for all hours worked and provide accurate wage statements.
If you believe your hospital or healthcare employer:
- Rounds time punches
- Underreports your hours
- Pays incorrect overtime
You may have a legal claim.
Speak With a Nurse Employment Lawyer
Our firm represents nurses in wage and hour disputes including:
- Overtime violations
- Meal and rest break violations
- Wage statement errors
- Payroll rounding practices
Contact us today for a confidential consultation.
