Response and On-Call Operations Policy

Policy IDNumber: FM 102
As Of: 11 June 2024


Facilities Management Response and On-Call Operations

Purpose:
This policy provides guidance on when and how additional compensation is provided to
employees who are scheduled for Facilities Response status or when they are called back
to work at the University outside of the normally scheduled working hours.

References:
PPM 3-2: Employee Definitions
PPM 3-4a: On-Call Status, Staff Personnel
PPM 3-17: Working Hours (Non-Teaching Personnel)
PPM 3-18: Overtime (Non-Exempt Personnel)
PPM 3-48: Extra Compensation (Salaried Non-Faculty)
PPM 5-45: Facilities Management
Fair Labor Standards Handbook
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
FM Policy201-Vehicle Use
FM Policy 601 -Emergency Response (for snow removal)


Definitions:
FM Response: Being readily available to respond to the University when contacted, according to a pre-arranged agreement and schedule. A staff member on FM Response agrees to:

  1. Provide a telephone number, or carry a device, so they can be reached.
  2. Be prepared to respond to the University and able to be on-site within one hour of notification of need.
  3. A person on FM Response agrees to limit activities and distance traveled away from the University in order to respond within the prescribed one-hour time frame.
  4. A person on FM Response agrees to notify the Superintendent On Duty, as well as their direct supervisor(s), of any changes in status of contact numbers or communication devices.

On-Call:  The normal condition of an employee either before or after their normal work shift. Facilities Management employees may be called in to work during an emergency. An on-call status does not require an employee to limit their activities, distance traveled from the University, or ability to respond to communication attempts. If an emergency, high wind event, or major snow storm occurs, personnel may be called to work if they can be contacted using a standard callout list. On-call activation will only be used when the urgency of need is beyond the ability of the FM Response personnel or first responder to address the situation.

Call-Back: When an employee is called back to work after their normal shift of work has been completed, or before their normal shift of work commences.

Contact: When direct communication with the Superintendent On Call, someone in an employee's chain of command, or other university authority has been achieved.

Notification: When the Superintendent On Call makes the initial attempt to contact an employee via means provided by the employee (e.g. a cell phone number on the callout list).

Essential Personnel: Personnel required to effect recovery and restoration of campus functions and services. FM personnel are, by definition, essential personnel - unless specifically and personally notified otherwise after following proper HR processes for requesting exemptions.  All requests for exemptions should start with FM's Business Operations Manager and be documented appropriately.  Supervisors alone cannot approve exemptions.

Response: Physically being on-site to address a problem as necessary.

Superintendent On Call: A superintendent will be on call every day of the year, according to predefined schedule.  The Superintendent On Call will carry a shared cell phone, 24/7.

ACS FM Response: An employee who is available to respond to calls related to the Access Control System (ACS).  Only people who have the proper training and approved access levels can serve in the ACS FM Response role (proper training will be evaluated and approved by the Director of Business Services or their designee).  The person on ACS FM Response will be readily available to address ACS issues via a device connected to the secure campus network.  Because this response is typically done remotely, a person serving on ACS FM Response does not need to necessarily limit their activities and distance traveled away from the University in order to respond within the prescribed one-hour time frame, they just need to ensure that they have access to an internet connection.

Snow Event Coordinator:  An employee experienced in university snow removal procedures will coordinate and lead snow removal events.  The planning and coordinating of a snow event may take place on and off university campuses.  This responsibility will be evaluated on a 24-hour basis as needed throughout the winter.  The need for a Snow Event Coordinator will be determined by FM's Director of Campus Services.

Policy:
Any employee serving in the FM Response role, as identified by the work schedule, will be accessible, available, and able to report for duty as necessary.

Procedure:
1. Non-Exempt employees in scheduled FM Response status will be compensated as follows:

  • One hour of regular straight time compensation for each day on FM Response status (weekdays and weekends are treated the same; in other words, no additional compensation is given for serving on FM Response status on the weekends).
  • Two hours of regular straight time compensation for each serving on FM Response status on an official university holiday.
  • FM Response compensation is separate from, and in addition to, any work time accrued as a result of a Call-Back.  The cost of Call-Backs will be borne by the respective shop's budget.

2. Exempt staff will not typically be provided any additional compensation for serving on the schedule for FM Response as they are expected to work the necessary time with a flexible schedule as necessary to fulfill their responsibilities. Exempt staff will receive compensation in the three specific scenarios below (note: double the daily amount compensation for serving on FM Response status on an official university holiday):

  • The Superintendent On Call will receive $100 per day.
  • The ACS FM Response employee will receive $25 per day.
  • The Snow Event Coordinator will receive $100 per day.

3. Shop Managers and Superintendents are responsible for determining the need for FM Response duty and for assigning appropriate staff to that duty. Not all shops require FM Response personnel. If FM Response duty is required, the shop Manager/Superintendent will ensure that a person is identified on the shared calendar as FM Response duty for each day. A fair rotation shall be followed in scheduling employees to serve on FM Response duty.

4. Shop Managers/Superintendents may arrange for cross training of employees between shops to reduce the FM Response requirement. If employees are cross-trained, they must have sufficient expertise to handle and control any emergency in the field to which they have been cross-trained.

5. Employees in non-exempt positions (positions that are eligible for overtime compensation), who are called in will be compensated per university policy for the hours worked.

6. Employees shall be compensated a minimum of two hours whenever they are called back and respond to work from either a FM Response or on call status, except as noted below. The two hour minimum will start when the employee arrives on-site and the end time will be at two hours or when the work task is completed, whichever is greater. For personnel on FM Response duty, the two hour minimum will be in addition to the additional compensation for being on FM Response duty. 

Exceptions to the two-hour minimum for call back compensation are as follows:

  • If the employee is called back and responded during the two hour period immediately prior to the beginning of the employee's next regularly scheduled work shift.
  • Adjustments in the schedule were arranged for the employee's convenience (e.g. to make up for time lost earlier in the week).
  • An employee is scheduled to work additional hours and is notified in advance as to the schedule change (e.g. work one hour on Saturday).
  • Snow removal operations (which will be addressed with compensatory time).

7. Employees responding to Call Backs will check-in and check-out with the Superintendent On Call. 

8. Any non-exempt employee who is authorized to take a University-owned vehicle home each day to respond to emergencies is not eligible for FM Response pay but is entitled to compensation as listed above if they respond while in an on-call or FM Response status as a call-back.  Taking a University-owned vehicle home is rarely approved. 

9. Travel time is not paid time.

10. Some shops have Leads who are non-exempt employees. In the absence of the Shop Manager/Superintendent, or when delegated to do so, the shop Lead has authority to schedule FM Response duty In the event the Lead is required to
respond while in a FM Response role, they will be compensated per this policy.

11. During large-scale emergencies, which require several or all of a shop's staff to respond from an On-Call status, all responding employees will be eligible for the minimum two-hour compensation (except for snow removal operations or other exceptions
as listed above).

12. When notified of a duty to respond, the scheduled FM Response employee must respond within one hour from the time of notification. If the nature of the emergency requires an on-site response, then the employee must be on-site within
the one-hour time limit. Responding personnel are expected to abide by all traffic laws and respond in a safe manner.

13. All after-normal-duty-hour calls will originate from the FM Business Center or the Superintendent On Call. Failure to respond to an emergency call-back within the specified timeframe while on scheduled FM Response duty is cause for disciplinary
action.

14.A work order will be created by the FM Business Center to which all time and materials associated with the call-back will be recorded.  The work order will be created on the next business day.

15. If for any reason the scheduled FM Response technician becomes unable to fulfill the duties of that role, the FM Response technician must notify the Superintendent and their supervisor as soon as possible so another employee can be placed into the role. This should only happen in times of extreme emergency.

16. The appropriate supervisors will provide the FM Business Operations Manager with a list of each employee in their respective shops who served in an FM Response role so that appropriate compensation can take place in a timely manner.

17. Accumulated compensatory time may be converted to payment following campus procedures.  Requests for conversion of compensatory time should be sent to the supervisors and the FM Business Operations Manager.