Contractor: How much should I ask for on-call?

Rockets34Life

All the full timers are on-call but are salary so they don't get paid extra for on-call. Since I'm contracting, I've been told that I might have to go on-call. I'm currently gettin paid $22/hr. On-call is one week once every 6 weeks (an estimated time). What would you guys do in my shoes?

forkvoid

I'd ask for time and a half, so $33/hr billable plus a differential paid automatically for that week. Trouble with on-call is that it screws up your downtime, as you have to be near a computer the entire week, hence the differential. I would probably ask for an extra $200 for the differential.

Mojo_666

What hours would you have to be on call?

If I was in your shoes as a contractor I would say I wanted days pay per week just for being on call and twice my hourly rate for any calls up to 10pm tripple afterwards with a 1hr minimum and rounded up to the next full hour.

I never get asked to be on call, but thats kinda the point, if it ever happens I will **** them to make it worth my while.

If you actually want the cash and hassle play nice.

Mojo_666

Oh and just to add IMO being on call is NOT overtime, they should compensate you for not going out on the lash, not going off and having any fun, and never being more than 5 mins away from an internet connection and never being more than 1hr from being onsite.

Rockets34Life

Thanks for the replies guys, but are those comments you suggested realistic? I doubt they would give me anything close to what you guys are asking.

What would be a realistic amt. I can ask?

forkvoid

They're totally realistic. That's what they get for paying for a contractor to be on-call... you're not staff, and therefore, you have better things to be doing with your time. That's why they have permanent staff.

j4s

I am a permanent employee. I am on call 1 week in every 4, 24x7 for the full week.

For the weekly period I am on call I get 32 x my hourly rate for that week, and then 1.25x for callouts and 1.5x on weekends.

For the changes you need to make to accommodate oncall you have to make sure you are getting a decent amount of cash in exchange, in my situation all my costs are passed onto customers.

Jas

chmorin

We rotate on call (7 week basis) as salary & excempt employee's and get no extra cash in our pocket.

I don't know what my co-workers get paid (hopefully more than me...) but if they were at my salary it seems a little ridiculous.