Italy Supreme Court rules nurses deserve meal vouchers for shifts over six hours

The Italian Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione) has ruled that shift workers, specifically nurses, are entitled to meal vouchers if their work shift exceeds six hours. This ruling establishes that the right to a meal benefit depends solely on the duration of the work performed, regardless of internal hospital regulations or organizational difficulties regarding canteen access.

This decision follows a legal challenge by a public health agency that refused to pay benefits to a nurse who worked over six hours on 1,527 occasions between 2014 and 2022. The Court rejected the agency's claims and ordered the payment of legal costs.

In response to ongoing litigation, Italian regions have reportedly proposed amendments to exclude the automatic link between working more than six hours and the entitlement to meal vouchers or substitute benefits. This move aims to address the legal uncertainty and costs arising from inconsistent applications of the rule across different healthcare facilities.