A disaster recovery business responds to calls from [potential] clients who have had a disaster damage their
Question:
A disaster recovery business responds to calls from [potential] clients who have had a "disaster" damage their home - for example, a pipe burst and caused a flood, or the cat knocked over a halogen lamp causing fire damage in the living room, or a hurricane has broken a window and damaged a room. Business has picked up and this small, 2-person company decides to hire a new employee.
This new employee named Dale will staff an office from 9-5 M-F and take calls 24/7 from people who have had a disaster. The new employee Dale will keep track of invoices, billing, payments, etc. Dale would need to carry a mobile phone and answer calls that could arise 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
Your boss Sydney, know you've taken an employment law course and ask you for help.
Draft a memo to your boss Sydney setting forth the legal responsibilities (if any) towards this person.
- Discuss in detail, in relation to both federal and a specific state law, if the company has to pay the new employee by the hour for each hour they carry the mobile phone?
- What does being "on call 24/7" really mean?
- What can or cannot the new employee do while on call 24/7?