Commission OKs 2 Hours Pay For Those On Standby

Highlands County hourly workers who are put on standby, to be ready to come in after normal hours in case of an emergency, will now get two hours of pay for each day they are on standby.

Highlands County commissioners approved that new policy, based on the recommendations of both county Administrator Michael Wright and Human Resources Director John Minor.

Wright called the change "an issue of fairness." Minor also said it is deserved, because when a worker agrees to be on standby, he or she has restrictions on how they spend their off-work, at-home time.

Restrictions for employees on standby include not drinking any alcohol beverages, not leaving the county, and not going to places or events which would hinder them in responding quickly to an emergency call-out.

Wright said there are generally three or four employees on standby every day. They are usually on call for emergencies such as a washed-out bridge, utilities problems, to fix or replace traffic signals or signs, or for animal control calls.

If a car wreck knocks down a stop sign late at night, Wright said, a new sign obviously has to be posted immediately for safety.

The commissioners also approved a second new policy that if an hourly worker on standby is called in, he or she will be paid for at least two hours, even if they work less than that. Generally, Wright and Minor said, a standby worker called in after hours works two hours or more, but sometimes they don't.

Like the issue of standby pay, Wright and Minor called the minimum two-hour call-out pay a fairness issue.