Section 09. On-Call Assignments

9.1. Policy

When warranted and in the interest of the County operation, the department head 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 PDA bargaining unit. For the purpose of this Section 9 only, each of the special assignments referred to in subsection B below shall constitute an organizational unit.

9.2. On-Call Assignments

A. Regular and Required On-Call Assignments: The Probation Department will designate certain positions required to perform regular and mandatory on-call assignments, for which they earn on-call pay.

B. Voluntary On-Call Assignments: The Probation Department may also designate certain positions eligible to volunteer for on-call assignments.

9.3. Process for On-Call Assignment

A. 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.

B. 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 in the absence of sufficient volunteers.

9.4. On-Call Compensation

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.

Employees required to respond to issues remotely while “on call” shall be paid the applicable rate of pay, in accordance with this MOU, for all time spent responding remotely, and for corresponding record-keeping that is required by a supervisor to be completed while off-duty.

Employees required to physically report back to work during off-duty hours shall be compensated for a minimum of three (3) hours of overtime. An employee receiving call-back pay shall not be entitled to on‑call pay simultaneously.