Pharmacy employees, like those who sell medicine or prepare prescriptions for doctors, have unique limits on their work hours. They can’t work more than an average of 9 hours a day or more than 108 hours in two weeks. They also can't work more than 12 days in two weeks. These limits are probably necessary to protect patients by reducing employee tiredness which might cause mistakes in filling prescriptions that could result in significant harm to patients.
Also, pharmacy employees’ work hours must be consecutive except for on Sundays, holidays, and meal breaks, which can last up to an hour. This rule does not apply to hospital workers with only one person available to prepare prescriptions. Plus, every worker must get at least one full day off each week to rest.
There are a few exceptions to these worker protections. For instance, registered pharmacists—those with special training—can work as many hours as the rules allow. Also, all these rules governing pharmacy employees do not apply in cases of an emergency because of an accident, sickness, death, or epidemic.