When warranted and in the interest of the County operation, department heads 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 process for the assignment of on-call for employees represented by the SMCCE bargaining unit.
10.1 On-Call Assignments
- Regular and Required On-Call Assignments: Each department may designate certain positions required to perform regular and mandatory on-call assignments, for which they earn on-call pay. The County will meet and confer with the Council prior to adopting mandatory on-call assignments.
- Voluntary On-Call Assignments: Departments may also designate certain positions eligible to volunteer for on-call assignments.
10.2 Process for On-Call Assignment
- 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.
- 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 in the absence of sufficient volunteers on an ad hoc basis.
10.3 On-Call Compensation
Effective the first full pay period following the Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU in 2022, 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 report back to work during off-duty hours when in an on-call status shall not receive on-call pay while receiving overtime pay.