Canadian Payroll Reporter

THE COMPLIANCE AND STRATEGY SOURCE FOR PAYROLL AND HR PROFESSIONALS Some on-call employees entitled to pay, but rules vary Paying on-call workers can attract, keep top talent OCTOBER 2013 IN THIS ISSUE SALARY FORECAST: SAME RAISES, DIFFERENT YEAR Predictions for 2014 range from 2.6 to 3.1 per cent, some pessimism exists. . . .3 NEWS BRIEFS PM #40065782 | BY ZACHARY PEDERSEN | says. "Just like if you want people to work an overnight shift, you tend to EMPLOYERS WHO permit employees to do implement some sort of compensation whatever they wish with their time while so you will get the better quality people on call do not need to compensate them who will take that late night shift." for that time. Francis is quick to point out that onHowever, employees who are on call call pay is different from call-in pay. but are required to remain on workplace "Call-in pay is the minimum number property must be appropriately compenof hours that an employer must pay you sated for their time. for, even if you get to a site and there's "If they are required to wait at work, not enough work so they send you then (they need to be paid) as if they are home," she says. "On-call means they working," says Karen Seargent, a partneed to be available in case there's an ner at Fasken Martineau in Toronto. emergency or something comes up." In British Columbia, employment But if an employee is called in to work standards contains a while on call, they are definition of work that entitled to the minimum "If the employee is includes a provision incall-in pay, Sergeant says. asked to be on call dicating an employee is "Every province has deemed to be at work a rule around minimum and they're required while on call at a location payments and most minito wait in their designated by the employmum payments are at residence... they er unless the designated minimum wage," she location is the employee's says, adding Alberta reare not considered residence. quires employees be paid to be working." "What that means is if a minimum of three hours the employee is asked to at minimum wage. be on call and they're required to wait If an employee is called into work and in their residence to await a call to work, only works one hour, but that employthey are not considered to be working," ee's compensation for one hour of work says Donovan Plomp, a lawyer with Mcis greater than three hours at minimum Carthy Tétrault in Vancouver. "If they're wage, then the employer is only required on call, it must be at a specific location to compensate for that one hour of work. other than their residence." "Ontario would be three hours at While employers may not be required minimum wage or the employee's reguto compensate individuals for being on lar wage for the actual time worked — call while remaining at home, employers whatever is greater," she says. (See the may want to implement this type of comsidebar below for the specific requirepensation to attract top talent, says Juliet ments in each province.) Francis, a payroll consultant in Toronto. Employees who frequently work over"(Being on call) is very specific to certime may reach the overtime threshold tain types of jobs and in order to be comwhile on call, in which case compenpetitive in the market, (employers might) Continued on page 12 put some sort of on call premium," she 42 per cent of Canadians living paycheque to paycheque: Survey; Many would accept reduced pay for ideal job: Survey; One-third of Canadians financially prepared for job loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 CALCULATING DEDUCTIONS ON RETROACTIVE PAY INCREASES Should employers use current or previous rates for calculations:. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Tips for calming down an angry employee Most upset staffers just want to be heard: Expert | BY ZACHARY PEDERSEN | IT'S A FACT of life for payroll professionals — they are internal customer service agents for their fellow employees. Unfortunately, when colleagues become clients, circumstances can be more difficult when an unexpected situation takes an unpleasant turn. In these times, it is important payroll professionals keep calm to prevent the situation from escalating. "If the person is visibly and/or audibly upset, the payroll professional must stop what they're docontinued on page 2

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