My husband's job has him "on-call" to answer questions over the phone. His work hours are swing and lately, they have been calling often (about once a day) - during day hours and late night hours. All was fine until over the weekend, when he let his phone go to voice mail because we were in a family situation and he did not want to be disturbed. They mentioned that he needed to answer his phone. This morning his supervisor called at 10 am, while my husband was sleeping, and he let it go to voicemail. His supervisor then called our home phone to get through.
Hubby's position is: he is not being compensated to be "on-call" even to answer phone questions and while a few phone calls during the week is fine; it is starting to be a daily issue; and a bigger issue if he is busy and cannot get to the phone.
This is a good job with decent pay and good benefits; but the price of this phone is becoming more than what we bargained for!
2006-10-24 09:31:42 · 7 answers · asked by LittleFreedom 5 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
Sorry I wasn't clear: his job hours are 2-11 and there was no talk of being "on-call" until he was given the phone and failed to answer the phone a few times over the period of the last three days. He wouldn't mind being on call if there was some compensation but the company or at least his boss is basically saying this is part of the job (just as some of you have said - it's part of the job)... it just wasn't discussed and no where in his contract is he "on-call" he just got the phone and all these "issues" came up.
2006-10-24 11:24:48 · update #1
I've been in similar situations. I'm a computer support tech, and I've been on call where I had to be at the house all weekend and at home during the evenings, but never for more than two weeks at a time.
The rule is, if you want the job, you take what comes with it. Surely he realized he would be on call, and surely he realized that there would be good and bad weeks before he took the job.
The issue here is that your husband is refusing to answer calls to his phone when he is on call. I know that, in my position, if that were the case with me, my manager would be paged - he would either contact me, or he would resolve the issue - either way, I'm getting called and probably reprimanded or possibly fired.
If you're on call, it's your duty to handle on-call support. No ifs, ands, or buts. If you don't answer the call, you'd better call back immediately or you'd better be on the way to the hospital. In other words, if you don't answer an on-call page, you'd better be in the middle of a serious emergency.
That's just part of the job.
If he likes his job, his pay, his benefits - then he's got to put up with the time he is on call.
If he has a problem with the on-call rotation, then he needs to make appropriate arrangements ahead of time.
If he doesn't like that, and if you don't like that, then maybe he needs to find another job.
That's my take on it, having been there.
2006-10-24 09:37:47 · answer #1 · answered by gatesfam@swbell.net 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I was on call 24 hours a day for over 10 years in a Property Management position. It had good pay and benefits but after a while it took a toll on my health. I could not cope with even the smallest things. Any stress would send me over the edge. It finally got to the point that I could not stand to work there anymore and I found a different job. I now love to wake up in the morning and go to my job. I found that Life is too short to hate what you are doing.
2006-10-24 16:52:33 · answer #2 · answered by saved_by_grace 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a managing RN for a hospice in MS. Although I am in a salaried position, my corporate office pays me call pay, overtime, and mileage. I have one other RN and we have to split call. It is very aggravating. I am literally married to the phone. It is better now because my Godson Vicente, is my route nurse and he doesn't bother me too much when he is on call. He has all the family numbers and he can get in touch with me easily in a real emergency. I don't have to carry the cell all the time. He seldom asks any questions when he is on call. You don't specify what type of work your husband does. If it is medical, he would have to expect that he may be on call. Also if it is oilfield related he might have to be on call. It sounds like something he started doing out of the desire to help his new employer has gotten out of hand. Are they taking advantage of him? If he is not supposed to have to take call perhaps he should mention that if he is going to take call he needs to be compensated for his time. If taking call is not part of his original hiring agreement then he does not have to do it. If he is going to take call they should compensate him. If they don't want to pay for call time then they will quit bothering him. It will take some time because he has been doing it and they are used to him being available. Personal time is just that personal time. Tell them to "pony up" or he won't do it any more. Legally if it is not part of his contract they can't force him to do it. My Godson speaks Spanish and he has refused to translate at the emergency room where he worked prior to coming here. He said that if they were going to expect him to neglect his assigned pts. to run translate everytime a Spanish speaking person came into the ER ( they have two full time translators on duty around the clock) then they would have to compensate him. Guess what, they quit asking and made the translators start doing their jobs. Good luck.
2006-10-24 16:54:10 · answer #3 · answered by Only hell mama ever raised 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel for you, while on vacation my husband had to answer his phone for business and we lost a whole day due to him trying to put a deal together. I will never let him bring the phone again. His business depends on the phone but it is a real pain in the neck, I sometimes wish sell phones were never invented and we can go back to the simple life.
2006-10-24 16:44:40 · answer #4 · answered by Lady X 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you say "On Call", I assumed you meant he was being paid to be ready to come into work at any time. My friend's wife is a nurse and she's on call all the time. She gets $2.00 an hour just to be on call, and she gets one and a half her normal pay rate when she does get called in.
If your husband is not being paid to be "on call", I wouldn't answer the phone. (unless they told him this would be the case when he started)
2006-10-24 16:41:28 · answer #5 · answered by Answer Schmancer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if there is a labor union, go there.
your hubby is right.
he is not being compensated
but companies try to do this anyway.
unfortunately his only option may be to get a different job.
anyway he needs to get this clear and negotiate the exact
requirements for 'on call' with his boss so at least they can agree.
2006-10-24 16:34:32 · answer #6 · answered by BonesofaTeacher 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's why they call it "on call".
2006-10-24 16:34:46 · answer #7 · answered by francesfarmer 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋