Central Maine Healthcare Sued by Former Nurse Over Alleged Wage Miscalculations
A former nurse, Katherine Gagnon, has filed a lawsuit against Central Maine Healthcare, alleging systematic underpayment of overtime wages and uncompensated meal breaks for herself and hundreds of other nurses since 2020. Gagnon, who worked at Central Maine Medical Center for over two decades, claims the health system miscalculated wages related to 'Extra Shift Work Agreements' implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. These agreements were intended to pay nurses double their base rate for extra shifts, but the lawsuit contends that Central Maine Healthcare incorrectly treated these double-time wages as time-and-a-half overtime, shortchanging employees. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the health system automatically deducted 30 minutes for lunch breaks, even when nurses were unable to take them due to demanding schedules and understaffing. Gagnon states that nurses were often discouraged from reporting missed breaks and found it nearly impossible to adjust their time records. The allegations pertain... 
