Weekend on-call
Discussion
I do an alternate weekend on-call.
6:00 until 14:00
The boss expects us to arrive on-site within an hour of any phone call.
We don't get any additional pay for being "on-call" except if we are called out.
Then we get an hours pay, and paid for whatever time we are on site, normally an hour.
But boss expects us to sit at home until 14:00, Saturday and Sunday of weekends on-call, on the chance the phone rings.
I told him, I will not wait at home on the chance the phone rings, that I will go out shopping or wherever.
If he wants me to sit at home, then he should pay me.
Right or wrong?
6:00 until 14:00
The boss expects us to arrive on-site within an hour of any phone call.
We don't get any additional pay for being "on-call" except if we are called out.
Then we get an hours pay, and paid for whatever time we are on site, normally an hour.
But boss expects us to sit at home until 14:00, Saturday and Sunday of weekends on-call, on the chance the phone rings.
I told him, I will not wait at home on the chance the phone rings, that I will go out shopping or wherever.
If he wants me to sit at home, then he should pay me.
Right or wrong?
Another factor is how likely you are to be called out. If it is highly unlikely then things might be different to if you get called out pretty much every time.
However, in this day of mobile telephones asking you to be at home seems ridiculous - especially with a one hour response time.
When I'm on-call it is a 20-30 minute response time but you can do what you like.
Not getting paid also seems poor.
However, in this day of mobile telephones asking you to be at home seems ridiculous - especially with a one hour response time.
When I'm on-call it is a 20-30 minute response time but you can do what you like.
Not getting paid also seems poor.
I used to do 24/7 on call, one week in 3. IT hardware field engineer.
We used to get £3 an hour (£6 an hour on Sundays) for standby hours (including sleeping), and overtime rates for the time we actually spent driving and working.
We weren't expected to spend the time at home, but we were expected to answer the phone promptly, and set off to the job as soon as practically possible.
We very rarely got called out overnight - maybe once a year. Most of the time it was just working weekends, and an extra job or two after normal finishing time. It never got out of hand, as we were entitled to an 11 hour rest break at home in each 24 hour period.
Mostly money for old rope, just meant making sure we were fit to drive - no drinking.
We used to get £3 an hour (£6 an hour on Sundays) for standby hours (including sleeping), and overtime rates for the time we actually spent driving and working.
We weren't expected to spend the time at home, but we were expected to answer the phone promptly, and set off to the job as soon as practically possible.
We very rarely got called out overnight - maybe once a year. Most of the time it was just working weekends, and an extra job or two after normal finishing time. It never got out of hand, as we were entitled to an 11 hour rest break at home in each 24 hour period.
Mostly money for old rope, just meant making sure we were fit to drive - no drinking.
We do 1 week in 3 - 24/7. Expected to respond in 15 mins so can’t go far.
Get a house and all my bills paid but it’s a double edged sword - 1/3 or life waiting for the phone to ring.
As loskie said - it hinges on what’s in your contract. They can’t just introduce it without you signing up to it.
Get a house and all my bills paid but it’s a double edged sword - 1/3 or life waiting for the phone to ring.
As loskie said - it hinges on what’s in your contract. They can’t just introduce it without you signing up to it.
I worked in the health care sector as a General Manager as I was on-call generally once every 10 workings for that evening. I never got paid extra as it was expected all management are supposed to undertake the on-call duty. However no one got extra pay - the oncall element was added into newer contracts.
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