How are you paid for On Call/Call Back?

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Mar 27, 2010

We use to get "call back" but they took it way and without even changing the policy. We get $4 on call and if we get called in we get our regular rate. A lot of us are upset about this. Many people are trying to make a point by not answering their phones so that they show up to work and have to get paid for the first four hours before going back on call.

mad-mary · Mar 27, 2010

We no longer receive any on-call pay and always work for regular rate unless we are over 40 hours per week, no matter what. This has all changed in the last 6 months. Between that and the increase in health insurance costs, my paycheck is shrinking dramatically.

Joeygirl · Mar 27, 2010

Our call-back pay is straight pay unless we leave and come back, as you described, we get OT otherwise.

wanderlust99 · Mar 27, 2010

Luckily I'm in CA now where we don't have OC shifts, which is forced overtime. This always really ****** me off. Anyway, back when I did these forced overtime shifts, we would be paid $3/hour and if called in we would be paid our usual rate. Shameful.

Now where I work, say we are short and I get put "on call" for the day I'm scheduled to work and I get called back in because our census picked up, I'll get time and a half. Sometimes nice if they cancel you then call you in to work 2 hours later!

mamamerlee, LPN · Mar 27, 2010

If you work over 40 hours, you should get time-and-a-half. So if you are on-call early in the week, the OT doesn't kick in until later in the week. You should fight for a no-cancellation policy, so that the person who is on-call doesn't automatically get to be the one who is cancelled if the census drops - thereby ruining the opportunity to get the 'big bucks'.

On-call pay varies greatly from place to place; in some places has not been changed for years and years. I think a fair amount would be 20% of the mean salary of the facility's nursing staff - same for anyone in any unit that has on-call, and adjusted whenever salaries are increased. And the 'paid time' should include an hour total for travel time, if you are not in the building.

Surgical1968 · May 7, 2010

Sertoli11 If you work more than 8 hours, most states require that you are paid overtime at time and a half. I don't know what state you are in, but if you have a union, I would contact the union right away. It sounds like your employer might be violating labor laws, but I do not know the entire situation. Some hospitals get around this if you agree to work 10 or 12 hour shifts I think. But I don't know all the legalities. It sounds fishy to me and since you mention you have a union, you should contact them right away. In California, they would not even try this because they would be in huge trouble with the state labor board. Let us know what happens.

Zookeeper3 · May 7, 2010

We get a whopping $2/hr for all our call hours (mandatory 12 hrs in a month schedule, used to be 24). OT is after 40 total hours, not over eight for us in NC

SandraCVRN · May 8, 2010

To the OP, do you work in the OR. When we are on call we get time and a half, whether we leave or not. $2 hr call pay which stops if you are actually working.

Now if it's just slow and we get LOA'd we are on "standby" for the first 4 hours of our shift, no call pay or overtime if you get called back in for your regular shift you didn't have to work. Clear as mud.....