Standby and call-out allowances

Employers in a number of sectors require workers performing certain roles to be available for work outside of their normal working hours on a regular or occasional basis. Staff may be required to be on-call or standby to cover situations where staffing need is unpredictable, often outside of normal working hours and/or to cover emergencies.

This is a practice associated with the emergency services and utilities, but is also found in the engineering, manufacturing and service sectors. It is also commonly used by local authorities and by some government departments.

This element of employment is often compensated for in the form of “standby” or “call-out” payments. These vary widely according to the specific circumstances. Some workers receive a “standby” payment and a further payment if “called-out”, but in other cases they receive one or the other, with varying criteria for calculating the level of payment.