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why doesnt my hotel have an on call list?

organizations dealing with in home care have on call lists of people who may be willing to fill in. why don't more businesses employ on call personnel and take advantage of the recession? i would think many folk would be glad to be fill in and make money when they can. It may allow flexibility for those who need it such as students,single parents, burnt out employees, or those who are grieving, etc. what is the other side to the matter? work ethic, government/laws, insurance, and costs that don't allow for this emergency flexibilty?

Public Comments

1. Hotels do exactly that all the time. For instance, if you as Principal Executive of Bootco decide that your business wants to take a dozen clients to dinner in a plush private room at the local Hilton, then the Hilton will contact a temporary staff agency and hire three temp waitresses and a temp barman from the local catering staff agency. I guess that the reason they don't do on call lists is that the hotels prefer to have a stable pool of experienced temporary staff that they all draw on.
2. Because there is the legality that when somebody is on call and sitting at home waiting for a phone call you may already owe him money for just doing that: Waiting to get called in to work. Since the employee does not have full access to "his time" and can not do and go as he pleases... some states figured that you owe them a wage already when you demand they sit at home waiting for the employer to call them in to work. Much easier to go through a temp agency that has the legal burden to pay the staff when they sit around and wait to be called in to work.
3. Shirley and Reena are both right, plus, it expands and complicates payroll. Also, if employees know there is a buffer, they will take advantage of it, and not feel they have to come into work. That puts stress on the hotel for many things, from quality control to accountability. Work ethic is changing in America as views on personal accountability become lax. Government and laws provide guidelines for students, parents, and those who are grieving, and sometimes they seem unfair to those who have the old style work ethic. Burnt out employees have a responsibility to themselves to find other venues for their services. Businesses usually have sick days, grievance days, and other employee benefits to help employees, and might even have programs towards education to help you prevent burnout by improving yourself and move up in the company. Talk to your HR person, they are just like you, and probably wonder why more people don't come to them to find out how you and the company can work together for mutual benefit.
4. I think that this would be an excellent idea with the fact that there are some times when people odn't have on call lists, but then their employees need to take time off. At least with this, people who need to have the time off, will be allowed to take the time off, and then those who need other things will be able to get it.