Call pay?

[saminalham]

What is the name of your state? TN
According to our 'manual', when we are on call, which is after 5:30, we get our 2.50 per hour. If we get called back in, we get our time and a half, minus the 2.50 per hour.
If, however, we stay late (my shift ends at 4:30) because of a case that would have gone later than 5:30, we are not allowed the opportunity to punch out and then punch back in under 'call pay'.
In other words, last Monday, I was scheduled to work until 4:30. I was on call starting at 5:30. I stayed through until 8:00 pm because we had an emergency aneurysm repair.
Because I did not punch out, if I leave early another day, I will not get overtime.
If I did punch out from 4:30 to 5:30 (which is the end of my shift and the start of my call) I would make that same hourly wage with no risk of losing it if I leave early on another day.
I stayed because the patient was on the table-and there is no way you can just leave the patient on the table. But I don't feel it is fair to not pay people their call pay overtime just because they didn't leave for that hour.
We are a non profit hospital.

 

[moburkes]

Can you edit your post to add AM and PM so that it makes sense, please?

 

[saminalham]

sorry

My shift is 8am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Our dept. closes at 5:30 pm.
We have call one weeknight and one weekend of every six.

Sorry I wasn't clear.

Thanks

 

[moburkes]

That's because the overtime law only requires OT on hours worked for the WEEK over 40. When you stay late one day, but leave early another, and it still ends up being 40 or less, there is no OT requirement. FYI: Its like this in almost every state.

 

[saminalham]

I don't get it

I understand the 40 hour issue, but why would I not jeopardize my call pay if I had punched out? That's what I don't get.

Thanks

 

[moburkes]

I understand the 40 hour issue, but why would I not jeopardize my call pay if I had punched out? That's what I don't get.

Thanks

What do you mena by jeopardize?

 

[saminalham]

jeopardize

What I mean is, if I had left at 4:30 pm (when I am scheduled to) and then made them call me back in at 5:30 pm, that call pay after 5:30 pm would have been call pay, and could not have been reduced even if I had left early another day in the week.
However, because I stayed and did not punch out ( because a critical patient was on the table) I only get the overtime if I work the other 40 hours.
It seems backwards to me, to reward people willing to leave a patient on the table with the overtime, while discouraging people from staying by preventing them from earning that same overtime when they do so.

 

[moburkes]

I think you look at it as the glass is half full. If you are willing to leave a patient when you clearly shouldn't, then you SHOULD expect to be fired for it. And, you SHOULD NOT expect unemployment.

They are giving premium pay to people who leave the job, have to wait around to see if they will be called back, and then have to drive back.