07-04.62 – On-Call and Call Back

1. Purpose:

   Towson University has established implementing procedures pursuant to the USM Policy VII-4.62, Policy on On-Call and Call-Back for Nonexempt Staff Employees. This policy allows for Regular employees to receive compensation for being on-call and called back to work. 

2. Responsible Executive and Office:

   Responsible Executive:
   Associate Vice President of Human Resources

   Responsible Office:
   Office of Human Resources  

3. On-Call: 

   1. Eligibility 

      1. Regular Non-exempt employees, when required to be available to report to work outside their normally scheduled hours for emergencies or other unusual circumstances, are considered in an on-call status and shall receive compensation. 

      2. The Associate Vice President of Human Resources may approve the payment of the compensation to a Regular exempt employee if it is demonstrated that the nature of work is very specialized or an emergency situation exists. 

   2. Provisions 

      1. Employees assigned to on-call are required to be accessible. If, during the on-call period unforeseen circumstances arise in which the employee cannot be reached or is no longer able to respond, the employee must notify the supervisor immediately. The employee shall be removed from on-call status for that day for pay purposes unless the individual had previously responded during that same day. 

      2. Designated employees shall normally be assigned to on-call for a period of not more than seven consecutive days (including holidays). On-call status may extend to the maximum of 24 hours for each day, as determined by each Department Head. An employee who is assigned to on-call status and cannot be reached or does not report within two hours of being contacted may be subject to disciplinary action and shall be removed from on-call status for that day for pay purposes unless the individual had previously responded during that same day. In instances in which designated on-call employees cannot be reached or are unable to respond, the Department Head or designee may obtain a qualified substitute. 

      3. Employees shall be notified in advance of their assignment to on-call status. Emergency Essential (see USM VI-12.00, policy on Emergency Conditions: Cancellations of Classes and Release of Employees) employees are not automatically assigned to on-call status. 

      4. On-call assignments will be allocated by each Department Head on a rotating basis among those employees eligible for such assignments. 

   3. Compensation

      1. Employees shall receive on-call pay according to the rates established by the Chancellor or designee for each day that they are assigned to on-call. On-call rates are published for the general information of all employees. If an employee is assigned to on-call status and is called to work, the employee will be paid according to the on-call rate in addition to any pay due for hours worked. On-call pay shall be included in the base pay for purposes of computation of overtime pay. 

      2. An otherwise eligible employee will not receive on-call compensation if the performance of their duties is an extension of the employee's regular workday or workweek as determined by the employee’s supervisor. 

4. Call-Back: 

   1. Eligibility

      Regular Non-exempt employees who are required to return to work on a regularly scheduled on-duty day after going off-duty, or are required to work on a regularly scheduled off-duty day are eligible for call-back compensation.

   2. Provision

      This policy applies to employees who are called back to work whether or not such employees are in on-call status. 

   3. Compensation 

      1. Employees called back shall be credited with a minimum of two (2) hours additional work time even if the time spent on duty is less than two (2) hours. This circumstance does not apply to the employee who may be working overtime as a continuation of their normal schedule. 

      2. Normally, travel between home and work is not work time. However, for instances in which employees have gone home after completing a day's work or are on scheduled off-duty days and subsequently are required to return to their normal place of work or any other location in order to perform a necessary task, travel time is included as work time. Additionally, such hours spent in travel shall be considered as hours worked and count toward the accumulation of overtime hours. Travel time counts toward the two (2) hour minimum callback time. 

      3. An employee who is called back during a qualifying shift will receive a pro-rata shift differential according to the TU policy 07-04.60 on Shift Differential. 

Related Policies:

USM Policy VII-4.62, Policy on On-Call and Call-Back for Nonexempt Staff Employees

USM VI-12.00, Policy on Emergency Conditions: Cancellations of Classes and Release of Employees

TU policy 07-04.60, Policy on Shift Differential

Approval Date:

Effective Date: 6/13/05

Signed By: President’s Council

How to Request the Policy PDF

This online version of the policy may include updated links and names of departments. To request a PDF of the original, signed version of this policy, email the Office of the General Counsel, generalcounsel AT_TOWSON.