USDA-FSIS Proposed Rule Redefines the Eight-Hour Workday for Inspection Program Personnel
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) has announced a proposed rule that would redefine the eight-hour workday for inspection program personnel at federally inspected meat and poultry slaughter establishments. Under the proposed regulation, it would include time needed at the workplace to put on, or “don,” and take off, or “doff,” required gear, time spent walking to work stations after donning required gear, and time spent walking from work stations before doffing required gear.
Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, FSIS provides mandatory federal inspection of meat and meat food products, poultry products, and processed egg products. FSIS bears the cost of mandatory inspection provided during non-overtime and non-holiday hours of operation, while the establishments pay for inspection services performed on holidays or on an overtime basis. The regulations define the basic workweek as five consecutive eight-hour days, excluding the lunch period. FSIS proposes that the eight hours of inspection service provided by the Agency include sufficient time for inspection program personnel to put on required gear and walk to a work station as well as to return from a workstation and remove required gear. Any time over those eight hours is overtime charged to an establishment.
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