I work in the health care field, Washington State....

[icymist]

as a Certified Nurse Aide. The nursing home where I work has started a new policy that if someone from the next shift calls off, the person working the previous shift must stay. No asking, mandatory. Mainly, this is being done to the nurses and with much griping. The company tells us that because this is the health care field that they can force you to work extra shifts without any notice what-so-ever in an emergency situation, so therefore they (the company) has the right to force this on us. I would hardly cal somebody calling off and the companies refusal to call an agency to replace the spot an emergency.

So, my question, is this legal?