34:11-56a32 Definitions relative to work hours for certain health care facility employees.

2. As used in this act:

"Employee" means an individual employed by a health care facility who is involved in direct patient care activities or clinical services and who receives an hourly wage, but shall not include a physician.

"Employer" means an individual, partnership, association, corporation or person or group of persons acting directly or indirectly in the interest of a health care facility.

"Health care facility" means a health care facility licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.), a State or county psychiatric hospital, a State developmental center, or a health care service firm registered by the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).

"On-call time" means time spent by an employee who is not currently working on the premises of the place of employment, but who is compensated for availability, or as a condition of employment has agreed to be available, to return to the premises of the place of employment on short notice if the need arises.

"Reasonable efforts" means that the employer shall: a. seek persons who volunteer to work extra time from all available qualified staff who are working at the time of the unforeseeable emergent circumstance; b. contact all qualified employees who have made themselves available to work extra time; c. seek the use of per diem staff; and d. seek personnel from a contracted temporary agency when such staff is permitted by law or regulation.

"Unforeseeable emergent circumstance" means an unpredictable or unavoidable occurrence at unscheduled intervals relating to health care delivery that requires immediate action.

L.2001,c.300,s.2.