Labor & Employment Law

Technology blurs work/life definition

On-call time

The WSJ notes the increase of lawsuits pertaining to when employees need to be compensated for on-call time or for time checking electronic devises away from the workplace. As the article notes, there have been a fair share federal cases, but California employers have no doubt been at the tip of this arrow. 

California's DLSE takes the position that on-call or standby time at the work site needs to be paid for even if the employee does nothing but wait for something to happen. '[A]n employer, if he chooses, may hire a man to do nothing or to do nothing but wait for something to happen. Refraining from other activities often is a factor of instant readiness to serve, and idleness plays a part in all employment in a stand-by capacity'.

The DLSE opines that employees may be paid for on-time work such as when the employee is not relieved of duties during meal periods and sleep periods when the employees are subject to the employer's control.

What constitutes 'work-time' and therefore must be paid depends on the restrictions placed on the employee. A variety of factors are considered in determining whether the employer-imposed restrictions turn the on-call time into compensable 'hours worked.' These factors, set out in a federal case, Berry v. County of Sonoma, include whether there are very restrictive geographic limits on the employee's movements; whether the frequency of calls is unduly restrictive; whether a fixed time limit for response is unduly restrictive; whether the on-call employee can easily trade his or her on-call responsibilities with another employee; and whether and to what extent the employee engages in personal activities during on-call periods.

Travel time

The DLSE also considers travel time compensable work hours where the employer requires its employees to meet at a designated place and use the employer's designated transportation to and from the worksite. The leading case on this topic in California is Morillion v. Royal Packing Co. (2000) 22 Cal.4th 575.
 

Full post as published by California Labor & Employment Defense Blog on August 11, 2009 (boomark / email).