PDA

View Full Version : Out of Hours Support



belinda
06-11-2009, 02:47 PM
I work for an Engineering company. We currently have employees working in our Software team and also out in the field whom we have work a roster for out of hours support. Our out of hours support work is increasing and we need to develop a policy on work hours for employee’s involved in out of hours support and the various divisions within the company.

We currently pay $300 for being on call and then $80 per hr if and when called out to perform work (whether onsite somewhere or from home) However we are now hiring casual employees through an agency and have the payments would differ if we required them to be on call as they specifically pay by the award.

Metal’s award details to work hours and required rest period for your information.
6.4.4 Rest Period after Overtime
6.4.4 (a) When overtime work is necessary it must, wherever reasonably practicable, be so arranged that employees have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between the work of successive working days
6.4.4 (d) By agreement the employer and individual employee, the 10 hour break provided for in this clause may be reduced to a period no less than 8 hours

6.4.5 Call Back
An employee recalled to work overtime after leaving the employers enterprise (whether notified before or after leaving the enterprise) is to be paid for a minimum of four hours work at the rate of time and one half for the first three hours and double time thereafter.

What do others do?

HRIMHO
06-11-2009, 03:16 PM
Generally I think people would be paid an hourly allowance for being on call rather than a set amount. Then there is call-back provisions that normally pay an overtime rate multiplier on their normal hours and usually guarantee a minimum "shift" for the callback (i.e. if called in, then you'll be paid a minimum 3 hours).

The minimum break - well you can't go outside the award and this is predominantly based on OH&S considerations I'd believe. I know what some Agreements say is that if called back with less than a 10 hour break between shifts then the person is paid overtime rates for all their shifts until they get a 10 hour break.

Pete
09-11-2009, 05:07 AM
I'm in a large Heath Sector employer. Collective employment conditions cover majority of employees and provide a fairly standrd set of rules -

Hourly on call rate for being available, time and a half or double time for the actual work done when on call (i.e. call backs) depending on when performed (effectively the applicable overtime rate, so public holidays are at double time etc).

A nine hour break is required between periods of work. For example - standard shift 8am - 4pm. Employee called back from 9pm - midnight. No nine hour break prior to call back, so a 9 hour break requried after the call back and before starting next shift. They therefore report for work at 9am, but are paid from 8am at normal time rate. If they are not given the nine hour break, all following hours worked are at overtime rates until they get a nine hour break.

Does your award provide a penalty payment if 6.4.4, 6.4.5 are breached? Or are these mandatory compliance clauses?

Cheers