A new state law to curb forced overtime for nurses and other direct patient care hourly workers has spawned both differing interpretations of when exceptions apply and worries that hospitals may work short-staffed.

Just one month after the law went into effect, many say it is too soon to know exactly how it will play out. But already, one thing is clear: Parties looking at the same law sometimes see different meanings.

The Prohibition of Excessive Overtime in Health Care Act, which took effect July 1, states that a health care facility may not require staff members to work overtime except under certain, specific circumstances such as a natural disaster, a widespread disease outbreak or an act of terrorism.

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