Bethany Care Society Collective Agreement 2020-2024

Article 15: On-Call Duty and Call Backs

On-Call Duty

1. For each full hour that an Employee is assigned to On-Call duty by the Employer, they shall be paid:

   1. three dollars and thirty cents ($3.30) per hour; or
   2. on scheduled days off and Named Holidays, the sum of four dollars and fifty centre ($4.50) per hour.

   A Named holiday or scheduled day off shall run from zero zero zero one (0001) hours on the Named Holiday or scheduled day off to twenty-four hundred (2400) hours of the same day.

2. On-Call Duty applies only to those hours when an Employee is not at work at the Centre but is required to be readily available to return to work should the need arise.
3. Unless otherwise agreed between the Employer and the Union, on-call periods shall be scheduled at least eight (8) weeks in advance excepting in cases of emergency.  Employees who’s on-call schedule has been changed with less than seven (7) calendar days notice shall be paid at the higher on-call rate.
4. Wherever possible, the Employee shall not be assigned to On-Call duty more than seven (7) consecutive calendar days.  Employees assigned to on-call duty more than seven (7) consecutive days in any two (2) week period shall be paid the higher on-call rate for the eighth (8th) and subsequent days in that two (2) week period.  Where an Employee is on-call for more than seven (7) consecutive calendar days at their request or as the result of an exchange with another Employee, the regular on-call rates shall apply.
5. Regulations in respect of approval or authorization for On-Call duty and the procedures which are to be followed by an Employee shall be prescribed by the Employer.
6. Employees may trade On-Call duty days provided:
   1. they have obtained the Employer’s prior approval; and
   2. there is no additional cost to the Employer.

7. Where the Employer requires an Employee to carry a pocket pager while on-call, such pagers shall be supplied by the Employer at no cost to the Employee.  The number and distribution of pagers shall be determined by the Employer and shall remain the property of the Employer.

   Call Back

8. For each occasion on which an Employee is called back to duty during the Employee's on-call period, the Employee shall be deemed to be working overtime and shall be paid for all hours worked during the on-call period or for three (3) hours, whichever is the longer, at the overtime rate of two times (2X) the basic rate of pay for the first (2) hours and after two (2) hours on any single call-back, two times (2X) the basic rate of pay will apply. The three (3) hour call-back minimum shall not apply when an Employee is called and required to work overtime contiguous with the commencement of their regularly scheduled shift.  An Employee called back to duty will be permitted to leave the Facility upon completion of the procedure or examination for which they were called back.  However, any further requests for procedures received by an Employee prior to leaving the Facility following completion of the work required on the initial call shall be considered one (1) call for the purpose of determining call-back pay.
9. When a Regular or Temporary Employee, who has not been assigned On-Call duty, is called and required to report for work,  they shall be paid for all hours worked during the call-back period or for three (3) hours, whichever is the longer, at the overtime rate of one and two times (2X) the basic rate of pay for the first two (2) hours, and after two (2) hours on any single call-back, two times (2X) the basic rate of pay will apply.  The three (3) hour call-back minimum shall not apply when an Employee is called and required to work overtime contiguous with the commencement of their regularly scheduled shift.  
10. If mutually agreed between the Employer and the Employee, equivalent time off in lieu of pay may be granted.   Time off not taken by the last day of March in any given year shall be paid out.
11. An Employee who is called back shall be reimbursed for reasonable, necessary, and substantiated transportation expense and, if the Employee travels for such purpose by private automobile, they shall be reimbursed at the Bethany Care Society policy rate, from the Employee’s residence to the facility and return; provided the call back is not contiguous with the scheduled shift.
12. An Employee called back to duty on a Named Holiday shall be:
    1. compensated in accordance with the provisions of this Article; and
    2. given compensating time off at their basic rate of pay for actual hours worked on the call-back at a mutually agreeable time.  Time not taken by the last day of March in any given year shall be paid out.
13.  
    1. Where an Employee works more than six (6) hours pursuant to this Article they shall be entitled to eight (8) consecutive hours rest before commencing their next scheduled shift, without loss of earnings.
    2. The Employee in the above situation will advise their Supervisor in advance of the fact that they will not be reporting for duty at their scheduled time.
    3. This provision is waived if the Employee is granted a request for a particular shift arrangement.