§ 168. Hours of labor of certain state employees. 1. This section
shall apply to all persons employed by the state in the ward, cottage,
colony, kitchen and dining room, and guard service personnel in any
hospital, school, prison, reformatory or other institution within or
subject to the jurisdiction, supervision, control or visitation of the
department of corrections and community supervision, the department of
health, the department of mental hygiene, the department of social
welfare or the department of veterans' services, and engaged in the
performance of such duties as nursing, guarding or attending the
incarcerated individuals, patients, wards or other persons kept or
housed in such institutions, or in protecting and guarding the buildings
and/or grounds thereof, or in preparing or serving food therein.

2. No person to whom this section is applicable shall be required to
work more than eight hours in any day or more than forty hours or more
than six days in any calendar week except in cases of fire, riot, flood,
famine, pestilence or other cases of emergency endangering life or
property; provided, however, that any such person, upon his own request
and with the approval of the head of the institution in which he is
employed, may be permitted to work one additional eight-hour day in any
calendar week for not more than seven calendar weeks and be allowed
continuous days free from duty equivalent to the number of additional
days so worked. The provisions of this section shall not be interpreted
to increase the number of working hours per day or the number of working
days per week of any person for whom a shorter work-day or work-week is
now provided.