Call-backs shall be authorized only by the unit commander or the watch commander.
Persons authorized to be paid for call-back time are employees whose classification is authorized for paid overtime, regardless of the overtime compensation system.
Employees not authorized for paid call-back time shall receive saved time.
Employees covered by FLSA shall have prior approval from their supervisor, before working call-back time, unless the call-back time is the result of a bona fide emergency (e.g., natural disaster, riot, spontaneous jail lockdown, etc.). Absent emergent situations, per the MPP, failure to obtain prior approval violates County policy and may result in employee discipline.
Managers and approving supervisors shall ensure that call-back time is within their budget and is not misused by employees. However, any call-back time that is worked by an employee, and that is properly documented, whether it was pre-authorized or unauthorized, shall be paid/saved, if applicable, in accordance with the FLSA.
Call-back time is involved when an employee is unexpectedly ordered by the Department to return to duty because of unanticipated work requirements. The order to return is given to the employee following termination of his normal work shift and departure from his work location. Such return shall be within 24 hours of when the order was given, but not less than two hours before the established starting time of the employee’s next regular shift.
When the requirements for paid call-back time are met, the employee shall receive a minimum payment equal to four hours of premium overtime pay. This minimum payment applies whether or not the employee actually works a full four hours and whether or not the employee has worked more than his required work hours for the workweek involved.
When an employee who is eligible for paid call-back time works in excess of the minimum four hours, all such excess time will be compensated in accordance with applicable MOU for represented employees or Los Angeles County Code for non-represented employees. When such employee is eligible for the four hours of paid minimum call-back time, he may not elect to receive saved time for the four hours.
Employees who are qualified for standby pay who are called back while on standby shall not claim credit for standby for the time spent on a call-back or on overtime work.
NOTE: Flexible work cchedule employees are not entitled to call-back pay, until they have completed their 40-hour threshold in a work week.
Employees shall report call-back time on FLSA Employee - Overtime Hours Worked Report form (SH-AD-678) by indicating “CB” and the applicable Overtime Reason Code in the Overtime Code section (e.g., CB – 807 Facility Maintenance) and describe the reason for the call-back in the Detailed Explanation and Justification of Overtime Worked section.
The following examples of unacceptable use of call-back:
When a second call-back is made on the same day, time on the second call-back shall not be counted until a full four hours has elapsed from the time at which the employee began work on the first call-back. For example, if an employee began work on the first call-back at 0900 hours and left at 1000 hours, and was again called back and began work on the second call-back at 1100 hours, time on the second call-back could not accrue until after 1300 hours. However, if the same employee was called back at 1300 hours and began work at 1350 hours, all of the time on the second call-back shall be counted.
Unless reporting to a location other than the regular unit of assignment, travel time involved in a call-back shall not qualify as part of the reportable call-back time, nor shall mileage be claimed.
When an employee who is qualified for paid call-back time is required to start his/her shift up to two hours earlier than his/her normal shift start and such employee is also required to work his/her full normal shift, the employee shall be compensated for such pre-shift time.
If the employee does not work his/her full shift, in addition to the pre-shift time, he/she receives no overtime.