I work in a nursing home as an LPN. Recently, my employer has made all of the floor nurses on call. Every 5th weekend for one day, a different nurse is on call. However, there is no compensation for being on call (we get our basic pay rate for the hours worked if we are called in). And if we dont answer our home phone or just refuse to come in when called, then disciplinary action is going to be taken. Basically, I have to sit at home all day until midnight at the end of that day and wait and see if they are going to call me or not. All nurses already work every other weekend, this would make them responsible for an additional weekend every month. I am curious if this is legal or not. If not, what can I do as an employee?

You don't have a cell phone with free minutes?

If you are restricted to staying at home for the entire duration, then you must be compensated.

If you are able to engage in personal activities, then it is not compensable.

Yes, I do have a cell phone, its the only phone that I have. However, they are not aware that my contact number is a cell phone. And a lot of the other nurses have only given their landline phone numbers as contact numbers. When I became employed there, it was for every other weekend, because 1. I am a full time student through the week, 2. I have another part time job, and 3. I have an 18 month old daughter. It would be extremely difficult for me to find childcare for my daughter at last minute when I am on call, especially if I get called in late at night. The company's on call guidelines has nothing to do with if its by cell phone or not. And I wouldn't be able to engage in anything personal away from home on account of if I got called to come in at last minute, I would have to get dressed and I live 30 minutes away from work as it is. Not to mention trying to get my daughter ready to go.