Beeper Pay

LFernandes

Hi Everyone,

Our mechanics are required to carry a beeper and we pay them a flat rate of $50 for the week that they are required to carry the beeper. If there is an emergency in manufacturing with one of the systems, the alarm system automatically beeps them and they are required to respond within 20 minutes of being beeped. For each response, they are entitled to incident pay of 3 hours. They are not required to sit by the phone and wait and are allowed to go along with their normal business.

My questions are this:

The mechanic (EE#1) was carrying the beeper and was beeped at 6 pm on Friday. However, the second shift mechanic (EE#2) was still on duty and was handling the problem when EE #1 walked in. Since EE#2 was already working on the problem during regular business hours, would EE#1 still be paid for responding even though it wasn't after hours.

Next question:

Same EE#1 was beeped at 3:15 am Sunday morning but did not respond as required within the 20 minutes. EE#1 came in at 6:15 after the Lead Mechanic (EE#2). EE#2 had already fixed the problem at the beginning of his shift. Would EE#1
still be entitled to incident pay because even though he did not respond within the required 20 minutes?

I would say no to both incidents but would love to get your input.

Thanks!

Balloonman

I would say that in the first case you have to pay him, he did as your policy dictates. In the second case I would not because he did not respond in a timely manner.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

sandra_d

I agree with Balloonman! There is no reason not to pay him for the first scenario ... perhaps you need to re-write your policy to have the on-call person phone the shop before coming in to see whether someone else has taken care of it?

Rockie

DITTO with DJ

LFernandes

We are actually re-writing the policy with those minor changes. We've had the beeper pay in place for almost a year and this is the first time we're having trouble with it.

Gillian

Ditto to everyone else.

SDDCHR

You definetly need to pay him for the first incident!

jules2001

Perhaps while re-writing the policy, make the 2nd issue a discplinary situation.

Don D

I can't believe everybody lives within 20 minutes of the plant!! And that doesn't include time to pull their britches on.

LFernandes

We are a very close community x:-)

Crout

If they are not required to sit by the phone, and can go about their business, how do you know that EE#1 wasn't 3 hours away when his beeper went off? I say you have to pay both EE's in both scenarios, then fix your policy.

LFernandes

EE#1 lives two doors down from the manufacturing facility (he can almost see it from his front door). As per the Standard Operating Procedure (which he signed off on), he was supposed to call the Chief Operating Office and the Manufacturing Manager to let them know that he was responding to the page (they were paged too at 3 am). If he was 3 hours away, he still should have responded by phone to let them know 1) he was taking care of the problem or 2) he couldn't make it because he was too far away and then the next person on the list would be called. He didn't do anything, call or attend to the problem which could have caused a major flood in the manufacturing plant. Carrying the beeper is voluntary and if the Mechanics are going to be away, they are allowed to exchange days with another Mechanic.

Whatever

In the first case I would pay. In the second case, I wouldn't.
However, what do you mean by incident pay of 3 hours? Is this regular rate, time and a half, double time or flat rate? What if the employee works more than 3 hours? etc.

LFernandes

The employee on call is compensated a minimum of 3 hours for their site visit. and will paid their regular hourly rate up to 40 hours. All hours worked over 40 will be paid at 1 ½ times their regular hourly rate. So if it only takes 10 minutes to fix the problem, they will be paid a minimum of 3 hours.

If the visit is more than 3 hours, they will be paid for the amount of hours they work and anything over 40 hours is paid at time and 1/2.

Crout

So they are not required to sit by a phone, but they have to call??? Anyway, I did not realize that carrying the beeper is voluntary. In that case, I switch my vote. Pay the first, but not the second.