Requires all health care workers who are employed on any Sunday or holiday, to be compensated at the rate of time and one-half.

RI Bill Summary: Healthcare Worker Sunday & Holiday Pay

This bill would require that all healthcare workers in Rhode Island receive "time and a half" pay — meaning one and a half times their normal hourly wage — whenever they work on a Sunday or a recognized holiday. For example, if a healthcare worker normally earns $20 per hour, they would be entitled to $30 per hour for any hours worked on those days. Currently, this type of premium pay requirement does not automatically apply to healthcare workers in the same way.

The bill would affect a broad range of healthcare workers, including nurses, hospital staff, nursing home employees, and others employed in medical settings across the state. For these workers, the change could mean meaningfully higher pay for weekend and holiday shifts, which are common in an industry that operates around the clock, seven days a week. Employers such as hospitals, clinics, and care facilities would be responsible for covering the additional payroll costs.

At this time, the bill has been referred to the House Labor Committee and has been recommended to be "held for further study," meaning lawmakers are not yet moving it forward for a full vote. A hearing has been scheduled for March 2026. This suggests the bill is still in early stages and may undergo changes or additional debate before any final action is taken.