On call pay

[AndiMac81]

Just curious, as I couldn't find any recent on call posts. We are put on call, scheduled, one weekend a month, and work the floor one weekend a month, in a skilled long term facility. We get no on call pay until we actually step inside the building, and then we only receive an extra $3/hr. My question is, is this common practice now, and how in the medical field can it be legal not to pay us for being on call to begin with, since we are limited as to what we're doing in our free time? Sorry, but I'm still a spring chicken, for years, we've had friends over every weekend and play cards and knock a few back. Or watch the game on Sunday and knock a few back. Hate to sound so unprofessional, but like I said, I'm human and still like to have some sort of social life. This IS hindering what I can and can't do with my free time. I/We as medical professionals, can't drink alcohol and then be called in. Why am I not paid for being on call to begin with?

I'm in Ohio, in a skilled long term care facility. This is a new policy they decided to toss out there. It's mandatory for all full time employees. One weekend a month on call, one weekend a month on the floor. If refusing to come in, you're considered no call-no show and given 6 attendance points, which is the limit of points in our attendance policy and is equal to termination.

I'm about 30 seconds to dropping down to PRN just so I don't have to do on call and weekends.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Federal labor laws require you to be paid for hours worked. Hours on call does not automatically equal hours worked. If you're able to be "on call" at your own home, that on call time is not legally considered hours worked until you are called to report to work.

However, your employer is legally required to pay you 1.5 times your hourly rate for all hours worked over 40 hours per week. So if you're called in on the weekend, and that time in addition to your regular work week equates to more than 40 hours, you are entitled to 1.5 times your hourly rate, plus the $3/hr on call pay.

Since this is a new policy, you and the other nurses could potentially join together to request/demand some kind of compensation for all time you are considered on call. Since you said this is a brand new policy, you also might gain some ground by contacting an employment attorney in your area to see if your employer can legally change the terms of your employment after the fact.