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0604a - Standby and Call-back

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Contents

Reference

Entitlements for bargaining unit and excluded employees are contained in collective agreements and employee handbooks including:

Main Collective Agreement with UNW - Article 26, Call-Back Pay & Article 29, Standby

Excluded Employees' Handbook - Hours of Work (Standby, Call-Back)

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Application

These guidelines and procedures apply to all employees except those in the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, those employed by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation or those in senior management.

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Guidelines

Authorization for Standby and Call-back and Related Expenditures

  1. To deliver programs effectively, the Public Service Regulations provide that the Employer may require employees to work more than their daily or weekly standard hours of work or on a designated paid holiday to meet operational requirements.
  2. The requirement for standby or call-back is driven by identified and approved operational needs.  The Employer controls the duration of the standby and call-back worked.
  3. Standby and call-back expenditures and related expenses must be authorized in advance verbally or in writing by the responsible approving officer.
  4. Standby and call-back reimbursements must be recorded in PeopleSoft Self Service as soon as is practical but no longer than one pay period from when the standby and call-back occurred.
  5. Compensation for standby and call-back is paid when work is authorized in advance by the Deputy Head or a departmental official delegated to approve standby or call-back. In accordance with Section 44(1) of the Financial Administration Act on expenditure control, a designated accounting officer must certify the expenses incurred.

Responsibilities of Overtime Approving Officers and Employees

  1. Unless permitted otherwise in this section, the approving officer shall do the following before standby or call-back begins:
  1. Determine that standby or call-back is necessary.
  2. Make this section available to everyone responsible to comply.
  3. Ensure that the standby and call-back comply with this section and applicable collective agreement or employee handbook.
  4. Ensure that procedures specified in this section are completed correctly and that all requirements relating to standby and call-back reviewed.
  5. Verbally or in writing authorize the standby or call-back.
  1. Unless permitted otherwise in this section, the approving officer shall do the following after the standby or call-back ends:
  1. Ensure the operational requirement that required the standby or call-back has been met.
  2. Resolve any discrepancies and ensure that unnecessary payments are avoided.
  3. Ensure the employee has entered the authorized standby or call-back into PeopleSoft Self Service within the appropriate pay period.
  4. Approve the standby or call-back in PeopleSoft Self Service.
  1. Misinterpretation of this section is no basis for reimbursement. The employee shall understand and comply with this section.  The employee shall:
  1. Obtain authorization before working standby or call-back.
  2. Obtain authorization for standby or call-back to be compensated as lieu time.
  3. Enter authorized standby or call-back into PeopleSoft Self Service within the appropriate pay period.
  4. Not work or enter any unauthorized standby or call-back.
  1. Employees must work at least 15 minutes to receive overtime pay.
  2. If an employee is on standby and is called out, for the first call-out she/he will be paid at least four hours at straight time.
    • Example:  Employee is on standby from midnight until 8:00 a.m.  She/he is called out once at 3:00 a.m. for 30 minutes.  She/he gets paid the standby pay and four hours of straight pay for the call-out (CB1).
  3. An employee on standby who is called out more than once gets paid at the overtime rate for the time worked; there is a minimum of one hour paid for each call-out.
    • Example:  Employee is on standby from 4:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.  There are three call-outs during the eight hours.
      • 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Employee gets the minimum of four hours pay at straight time (CB1)
      • 9:00 p.m. to 9:20 p.m.  Employee gets paid the minimum of one hour at the overtime rate (CB2)
      • 11:00 p.m. to 11:55 p.m.  Employee gets paid the minimum of one hour at the overtime rate (CB2)
  4. For information on how to use the electronic call-back provisions, contact hrhelpdesk@gov.nt.ca

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Procedures

  1. A manager authorizes standby or call-back either verbally or in writing prior to the employee undertaking the work.
  2. The employees enter hours worked standby or call-back in PeopleSoft Self Service.  The employee shall note reasons for the standby or call-back in the  comments section.

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About this section

Authority:           Public Service Regulations, Section 10, Overtime and Holidays
Effective Date:     November 4, 2011     
History:               June 2006, Standby & Call-back
Responsible Unit:  Labour Relations

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