Is this exploitation or not?

star2sparkle

I hope someone may be kind enough to help with this general query.
I have an interview for a job on Friday. This job involves being 'on call'. You get given a mobile, and you have to be at home every other weekend to answer any calls. The working hours are 8 hours on a Saturday and 8 hours on a Sunday, every other weekend. This job is just that, in other words, it isn't an extension of a job you already have (for example, like a firefighter...goes to work at the station and then is on call). This job is basically only being on call. However, they have said you might, on occasion be called into the firm's office to assist. The wages for one shift of 8 hours is £26. So every other weekend, you will earn £52. Of course, no one may ring (I really have no idea at this stage how busy it could be) but you have to give up your time at the weekends you are on call. Do you think £26 for an 8 hour shift of being on call would be considered as low wages and so perhaps exploitation?

motorguy

Its an on call allowance. There is nothing to stop you otherwise doing something else, its just that you have to be available to take calls during that time, and possibly go in.

I assume they pay you for hours worked?

You're not giving up your time - just make sure you can take a call.

I used to go on as normal - cinema, out for a meal, etc when i was on call. Also, you had to respond within a certain time, didnt mean you had to have a problem resolved in that time.

star2sparkle

Thank you Paul. I didn't think of it like that! And yes, if you do go in, they do pay you for the hours you work. However, I think they will not want you to go out (cinema or a meal) because the calls you take are of a highly confidential and sensitive nature...

Undervalued

star2sparkle wrote: »

I hope someone may be kind enough to help with this general query.
I have an interview for a job on Friday. This job involves being 'on call'. You get given a mobile, and you have to be at home every other weekend to answer any calls. The working hours are 8 hours on a Saturday and 8 hours on a Sunday, every other weekend. This job is just that, in other words, it isn't an extension of a job you already have (for example, like a firefighter...goes to work at the station and then is on call). This job is basically only being on call. However, they have said you might, on occasion be called into the firm's office to assist. The wages for one shift of 8 hours is £26. So every other weekend, you will earn £52. Of course, no one may ring (I really have no idea at this stage how busy it could be) but you have to give up your time at the weekends you are on call. Do you think £26 for an 8 hour shift of being on call would be considered as low wages and so perhaps exploitation?

If, on average, it was taking up enough of your time that you were earning less than the national minimum wage you may have a point and it could possible be unlawful. That would be somewhere round about the six hour mark. However, assuming you also get paid if you are actually called in then that would seem unlikely.

Aside from that it is simply a matter for negotiation. Are you willing to be on call on their terms in exchange for that money? If not you try to negotiate a better deal or work somewhere else.

star2sparkle

Thank you Undervalued. Don't believe they are up for negotiation and working somewhere else...not so easy, at least not where I live in the country. There is extensive training, you have to be extremely knowledgeable and it is an intensive hour long interview. Also, the calls you receive could have an emotional impact. Just to add a bit of information really.

motorguy

star2sparkle wrote: »

Thank you Undervalued. Don't believe they are up for negotiation and working somewhere else...not so easy, at least not where I live in the country. There is extensive training, you have to be extremely knowledgeable and it is an intensive hour long interview. Also, the calls you receive could have an emotional impact. Just to add a bit of information really.

So you dont get paid for any work you have to do during that time?

ie, its £26 whether you work 0 hours out of the 8 or all 8?

And you might have to drive in to work too on your day off?

:eek:

If thats really how it is, then nah - no chance. I wouldnt be doing it.

If its £26 for 8 hours on call, and hours worked are chargeable on top of that, thats different.

star2sparkle

Hi Paul. Now I am getting confused :j. It wouldn't be classed as my day off really, it would be my only job (as not as yet got another during the week!). So, you get paid £26 for the eight hour shift where you are meant to be answering calls of a confidential nature, at home. They do say it is 'home based'. So it could be really busy during the 8 hours or maybe nothing at all. But you do get paid if you have to go into the centre (£12 an hour I believe) and you have to get there within 30 minutes. When you say 'hours worked', what do you mean? Going to the centre? You do get paid for that. But I think you won't really be going in that often, if at all. Basically, they want you home 8 hours on a Saturday and 8 hours on a Sunday to answer calls for £26 each day.

agrinnall

I think 'hours worked' doesn't need much explanation. It means the time that you spend doing the job. Being on call is not working. You're getting paid £26 for being on call for an 8 hour period. You should then be paid for every hour in that period when you are actually working, whether that's going into the centre or answering calls at home. So if you spend 3 hours of the 8 answering calls at home you'd be paid £12 x 3 for working plus £26 on call, £62 in total. If that's not how it's working then I don't think you should take the job.

star2sparkle

Thank you Agrinnall, that explanation is nicely put. And I agree, but I don't believe it is as you explained. It is written like this; Salary: £26.00 on call shift allowance + £12.50 per hour when in attendance at .... I think it is time to ring them for clarification before going to the interview.

MonkeyDr

To put this into context:

The new Junior Doctors' contract provides for an annual on-call allowance of £3,660 for the most senior junior doctors (i.e. those just about to be consultants, qualified for minimum 4 years, most around 6-10). For this you can be scheduled to be on-call up to 3 periods per week, and each period could be up to 24 hours, except at weekends when it can (and usually is) 48 hours. You don't normally need people 'on-call' during Mon-Fri 9-5.

Maximum you could be rota'd is every other weekend (48 hours) plus 4 more 5pm-9am each fortnight (4x16 = 64).
Which is (48 + 64)*26 = 2,912 hours / year. Which works out at £1.26 per hour.
Or, you can look at it as 3660/26 = £140.77 per fortnight for being on-call one whole 48 hour weekend plus 4 nights 5pm-9am per fortnight.

Like you, the doctors are also then paid per hour that they actually work on top, but it's a pretty low reward for a huge life commitment, especially if you need to factor in childcare for the whole time that you might be called into the hospital.
Of course you have to remain within 30 mins of the hospital, free to take phone calls, and certainly no alcohol etc.

If you are in a training post (= progressing towards being a consultant) you do not get any say in the intensity of your rota, and typically only get it the week you start in a particular post. To choose to not work those shifts is basically giving up your career prospects - you would have to resign and work in service provision posts without ever getting more senior.

Depressing way to work. I hope that if you take the job it ends up being busy enough to make it worth your while.

star2sparkle

Thank you MonkeyDr, it is actually as you say. I have rung them and from what I can gather (though the person I rang is making absolutely sure) is that if you do receive a call, it actually means you have to go into the centre/office so you will get paid the extra. It isn't actually just being at home, waiting for calls as such and just being paid a shift allowance. So a call means...go in. However, you have to be available for that whole time and if you don't get a call...you just get the shift allowance. She did say, though, that you can go out and about, so I suppose that is good? Not really sure about this...