Policy 222: On-Call

222.1 Policy

The college requires employees in certain positions to remain on-call due to exigencies and emergencies that may arise which would require the employee to be called back to work on short notice.

222.2 Definitions

On-call: when an employee is required to be available by telephone, text, pager, or similar device and must respond to any message within 15 minutes.

222.3 Procedures

On-Call Requirements

On-call assignments will be minimized to hours and personnel necessary to support ongoing campus functions outside of normal working hours. The President’s Advisory Council (PAC) considers the needs of all stakeholders on campus and determines the hours when support personnel must be available on an on-call basis.

Management should provide employees who are required to be on-call with a schedule of the date and time that the employee must be on-call. In addition, the following guidelines apply:

• Unless otherwise advised, the employee is not required while on-call to remain on the college’s premises. However, the employee must remain available by telephone, text or pager while off site and respond to any message within fifteen (15) minutes.
• The employee is not required to restrict his/her activities while on-call, but the employee must remain free of the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. In addition, the employee should not take any prescription drug that adversely affects his/her ability to safely and effectively perform the job duties. If an employee has a medical condition and has concerns about complying with this requirement, the employee should consult with the Office of Human Resources.
• When contacted to return to work, an on-call employee must be able to arrive on campus within 30 minutes.
• If the employee has a conflict and is unable to be on-call during his or her assigned time, it is the employee’s obligation to pre-arrange with his or her immediate supervisor for a replacement to cover the employee’s on-call shift.
• Employees who fail to respond when called and/or who fail to find a replacement are subject to disciplinary action.

On-Call Pay

• Employees will receive two (2) hours of overtime pay for each assigned on-call shift.
• Employees will receive an additional two (2) hours of overtime pay for any holiday that occurs during their assigned on-call shift.
• Any time worked while in an on-call status, either responding to calls or physically returning to campus, will be recorded as actual hours worked.
• If any employee is called to campus while he/she is on-call, the employee is paid for the additional hours worked at their regular overtime rate. If the employee will be on campus for more than four (4) hours he/she must have approval from his/her supervisor.
• Time will be rounded to the nearest hour while on campus during the on-call shift. For example, an employee who is working on campus for 45 minutes will enter 1 hour of work.
• Employees who answer calls while on-call will be compensated at a per rate call where 10 calls equals one hour of compensation. Calls in excess of 10 but less than 20 will be rounded up to the next hour. For example, if the employee answers 16 calls during the on-call shift he/she will enter two (2) hours for compensation.

Employees in exempt positions are ineligible to be on-call. Exempt positions are primarily professional, administrative, or managerial and any “on-call” time is an expectation of the position.