"If You're Being Forced, You're Being Forced": A Qualitative Examination of How Overtime Affects Correctional Officers.

This article examines how forced overtime affects the health and wellness of federally employed correctional officers (COs) in Canada, using the job demand–control–support (JDCS) model to frame the analysis. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 93 COs, the study finds that chronic staffing shortages lead to mandatory overtime, which creates high job demands combined with low control and limited support—conditions described as iso-strain—that negatively impact COs' mental health, work–life balance, and family relationships. While some COs undertake voluntary overtime for financial or altruistic reasons, the unpredictability and compulsion of forced overtime contribute to stress, fatigue, and reduced agency, with collateral effects extending to personal and professional domains. The findings suggest that improving scheduling practices to enhance COs' control over overtime and increasing workplace support could mitigate these adverse effects, though staffing challenges remain a significant barrier.