On-Call Time and Overtime Pay

Full Video Transcript

If your job requires you to be on call in case of an emergency, you may be entitled to receive overtime pay. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, when an employee is placed on call, whether at home or at another location, that time is compensable when the employee’s activities are so restricted they cannot use the time effectively for other personal pursuits. So, how do you know if your employer owes you on-call time? Some questions to ask are: When on call, do you take a high volume of calls? Do you have to respond to calls within a limited period of time? Are you allowed to share on-call responsibilities with coworkers? Do you have a pager or cell phone that allows you some freedom of movement while you’re on call? If you feel that you are owed back pay for on-call time, contact a labor and employment lawyer in your area today.