Reply to: On call???

[Euro-commuter]

Hi all,

I've been offerred a 6 week gig away from home.

The job itself is very interesting, BUT the rate is crap and the location is sh*te.

I've been tempted by the gig regardless though, as like I say, the job itself sounds really cool.

They mentioned in the interview that there'd be strange hours (i.e. outside of the noraml 9-5) which I have no problem with at all...if I'm away, I might aswell be at work than stuck in a hotel.

BUT, the cheeeky f*ckers are trying to get me to be on call during the weekends! And the reward they're willing to give me for this? The hours back during the week IF I get called upon!
So basically, they want me to be on call, all weekend for free!

I'm tried politely telling them to **** off like, but they keep coming back asking me what I would accept to do this. TBH I doubt I'd even accept the daily rate to sit in the house all day on a Saturday (thats my going to the pub at 12 day!)

Anyone been in a similar situation?
What would you do?

Do exactly what they ask: work out what you would willingly accept to do it, and tell them what that is. It might be an awful lot if you really don't want to do it; doesn't matter, tell them the real price. Do not on any account feel "obliged" to quote a "reasonable" rate for it.

Another poster made a good starting suggestion: a price for each time you are on call, plus a rate for call-outs, with a minimum chargeable time.

[Charles Foster Kane]

Accept the gig. Put your phone on silent on the weekends.

[kramer]

That would be one big f**king rabbit

a rabbit that big would need a mighty hole!

[freakydancer]

Fck that for a game of soilders. Maybe they'd like you to dress as a bunny as well?

That would be one big f**king rabbit

[el duder]

Hi all,

I've been offerred a 6 week gig away from home.

The job itself is very interesting, BUT the rate is crap and the location is sh*te.

I've been tempted by the gig regardless though, as like I say, the job itself sounds really cool.

They mentioned in the interview that there'd be strange hours (i.e. outside of the noraml 9-5) which I have no problem with at all...if I'm away, I might aswell be at work than stuck in a hotel.

BUT, the cheeeky f*ckers are trying to get me to be on call during the weekends! And the reward they're willing to give me for this? The hours back during the week IF I get called upon!
So basically, they want me to be on call, all weekend for free!

I'm tried politely telling them to **** off like, but they keep coming back asking me what I would accept to do this. TBH I doubt I'd even accept the daily rate to sit in the house all day on a Saturday (thats my going to the pub at 12 day!)

Anyone been in a similar situation?
What would you do?

surely you are used to this situation SA? clients calling you up evenings and wekeends for services?

[lukemg]

Expecting to face this dilemma soon, should be a rare call-out as I am in a senior role and will be advising on escalating major issues to 'call everyone you can get hold of' status.
Planning to charge a day rate for each 24 hour period (even if it includes a working day). Same issues as SA, I am away in the week so no worries but w/ends are more valuable.

[Moscow Mule]

Go for this,

1.5x daily rate just for being available
- this compensates you for having to sit in the pub on 1 pint an hour instead of 3.

1.5x hourly rate per call, minimum 4 hours
- this compensates you for having to do work at the weekend.

[DaveB]

There was a long'ish discussion about this a while back

To quote my original comment back then...

The BOFH in me says time and a half for hours on call and double time for actual call out with a 4 hour minimum

[SallyAnne]

SallyAnne, are you tempted to be a (on) call girl?

Not if the pay was that sh*te!

[ChimpMaster]

SallyAnne, are you tempted to be a (on) call girl?

On-call girl at £100 / hour

[OrangeHopper]

It came with the job because we support a system that, should it stop for more than a few hours, would affect thousands of companies and could result in tens if not hundreds of millions in costs and lost revenue.

To be honest I don't really mind. I have rarely been called. A couple of times I have been available while upgrades have been done and I monitored things from home.

If a particular weekend is inconvenient we work it out amoung ourselves.

I get paid moderately well for the day job so providing the occasional out-of-hours advice pro rata doesn't bother me.

I'm just an easy mark really.

[DimPrawn]

SallyAnne, are you tempted to be a (on) call girl?

[unemployed]

sounds like they are taking the *iss

i used to be on call at a week at a time and used to get £250 for being on call and £100 per call out , added up to a nice amout once you get called out 10 times . handy if you get called out 4 times in one day when you are already at work

[Sockpuppet]

I do "on call" stuff.

Ok this is me driving lorries while looking for another contract but I have a place that pays me to be avail from midday - midnight and pays me 12 hours even if I dont go in. £180 for sitting on my keister. Been called in 3 days this week (out of 5 avail).

Not bad for being "on the bench".

[SallyAnne]

I do on-call a week a month for a set daily fee (nothing really). If I get called out then it is at my hourly rate.

For that I get a phone and a laptop from which I have full access to the corporate network and supported systems via my home broadband connection.

There is an unofficial understanding that should a call come in then I should be in a position to help out within an hour.

And you're happy about that?!!