Paid On-Call Time
Paid on-call time. On call is a situation where the employee is not on duty. He is not working but must respond to a call and work if the employer calls him. For instance, if you are a nurse and you are off duty, an emergency can arise and the hospital administration will call you to perform certain duties. Professionals who offer emergency services are mostly found in this situation. For example, computers in an organization should work for the organization to deliver, if the computers will fail, the professionals will be called even if they are off-duty to come and restore the computers. Even if you have been called to work, you are not necessarily entitled to pay. Your pay or not to pay will depend on many factors:
Factors determining the Paid On-Call Time
Staying at work
There are some jobs which are on call in nature, but you have to stay in your place of work waiting for a call. For example, if you are a professional electrician who waits in your office for a call before you can go out and serve, then you will be entitled to pay.
Workplaces where you are not necessarily required to stay in office
There are some employments where you don’t have to stay in your place of work for you to be entitled to pay. For example, some employees will have plans where you will serve while you are not in your office. For example, you may be called upon to serve whenever your services are needed. In such a case you will be paid even if you work on call. But, the employer has to specify the number of hours you will have to work in a week or a given period. Over the specified time, the employer is required to pay for overtime.
Factors courts consider when settling on call payments for paid on-call time
Number of call and employee gets while on call
If you will receive a lot of calls requiring you to give professional advice, then you are entitled to pay. If you get few calls which you have agreed with your employer on the contract, then the court can deny your claim for more pay.
Time required of responding to a call
If you are required to respond to a call within short period of time, then the court can consider your application for on call pay. When you are required to respond faster, the court considers you are inconvenienced by your employer hence you deserve pay.
Distance you are supposed to stay while on call. If you are required to stay within a short distance, then you deserve pay.
Restriction while on call
If the employee will require you to be sober while on call, then you are entitled to pay due to the regulations affecting your freedom.
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