Pay for just being on Call.

What are companies doing for paying maintenance staff that go on call? We are a smaller company and want to give something for going on call if they do not get called out. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

SO glad you are asking this question! I think on call is extremely undervalued and critical to our success in multifamily! Almost EVERY community advertises 24 hour emergency maintenance, and a J Turner Research study said residents rated it tied for 2nd in importance for community services!

So definitely respect our valiant teams who hold the phone!
I recommend $50/week just to hold the phone, not drink brewskies with buds, possibly miss dinner with the fam, etc.!

I also recommend you not ding them on OT. If they are out till 2 a.m. Sunday night, does your company then tell them to leave early on Tuesday afternoon (or some other random time) rather than pay OT? What if they don't have anything they need/want to do on Tuesday afternoon? Should we give them the option?

Another recommendation is at least once a year take call for them!

Our super heroes who take on call deserve a lot of appreciation!

Being on-call is not a fun gig. It is allot to ask of your techs especially if they are already spread thin and working overtime.

We pay $50/week with larger payouts during holiday weeks. Most holiday weeks are $100-250. Christmas is $500.

Hourly rate is double time port to port. Meaning, from the second they leave their home to the second they return home there are paid their regular rate times 2.

You are right. It is an undervalued role. Paying them what their worth may be hard to justify to the owner BUT look at what an after hours plumber, electrician, or locksmith would cost. That coupled with the fact that a large portion of emergency calls can be billed back to the individual tenants.