A. Policy
When warranted and in the interest of the County operation, department heads may assign employees to on-call status during off-duty time, to ensure that such employees will be available to respond or return to work to address unplanned, unforeseen, or emergency situations. While on-call, an employee is required to be available by phone at all times. While on call, the employee is not on duty, is not required to remain on County premises. An employee is not required to restrict personal activities while on-call, but must remain free of the influence of prescription drugs that adversely affect the employee’s ability to safety and effectively perform their job duties, alcohol, and illegal drugs.
This Section clarifies the existing process for the assignment of on-call for employees represented by the AFSCME bargaining units. For the purpose of this Section 10 only, each of the special assignments referred to in subsection B below shall constitute an organizational unit.
B. On-Call Assignments
1. Regular and Required On-Call Assignments: Each department will designate certain positions required to perform regular and mandatory on-call assignments, for which they earn on-call pay.
2. Voluntary On-Call Assignments: Departments may also designate certain positions eligible to volunteer for on-call assignments.
C. Process for On-Call Assignment
1. Regular and required on-call assignments, and re-assignments as needed due to employee absences, will be assigned on a rotating schedule and equitably distributed to all employees in such designated positions.
2. For Voluntary on-call assignments, a department may solicit volunteers on a rolling basis, and assignments will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. Individual voluntary on-call assignments may be assigned on an ad hoc basis in the absence of sufficient volunteers.
D. On-Call Compensation
Compensation for on-call duty shall be computed as follows:
Employees shall be paid an hourly rate of Five Dollars and forty cents ($5.40) for time in which they are required to be in an on-call status, unless otherwise provided below
Effective November 19, 2006, employees assigned to the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team will receive an additional $1.50 per hour to the above on-call differential amounts.
Operating Room Technicians and employees of the Clinical Laboratory Scientist Unit shall be paid the hourly equivalent rate of one-half (1/2) their base pay for time in which they are required to be in an on-call status. For the purpose of computing pay, overnight assignment will constitute one (1) day; a week-end in on-call status will constitute three (3) days for pay purposes.
Radiologic Technologists, Imaging Specialists, and Respiratory Therapists shall be paid the hourly equivalent rate of one-half (1/2) their base pay for time in which they are required to be in an on-call status.
Environmental Health Division employees shall be granted eight (8) straight-time hours compensatory time off for each sixty-one (61) hour weekend shift during which they are in on-call status.
Refer to Exhibit E regarding On-Call Duty provisions for Licensed Vocational Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurse Trainees.
An employee receiving call-back pay shall not be entitled to “on‑call” pay simultaneously.