[Administrator] How to configure on-call shifts in my company?

An on-call shift is a period when an employee remains available to respond to work needs outside the regular schedule. In Day.io, there are two important concepts: On-call On-Call Working Time.

On-call refers to the full standby period, while On-Call Working Time refers to the actual time worked during that period. Proper configuration ensures that on-call shifts and On-Call Working Time appear in reports and are compensated according to company policy.

Key actions or configuration

1. Enable On-call permissions
   • In the web panel, click your name or photo in the upper-right corner.
   • Go to Company Settings > Permissions.
   • Select the permission level: Admin, Supervisor, or Basic.
   • Enable Manage On-call and Request and view On-call.
     • Manage On-call allows users to approve or add on-call shifts and On-Call Working Time.
     • Request & view On-call allows employees to submit on-call or On-Call Working Time requests.
   • Repeat this for every relevant permission level.
   • Without these permissions, the On-call tab does not appear in the Attendance menu.
     
     
2. Define On-Call Working Time compensation
   • Go to Configure > Pay Policies.
   • Create a new group or edit an existing one.
     • Default groups and groups with employees added cannot be edited.
   • In the rule group, open the On-call tab.
   • Under On-Call Working Time, choose the compensation option:
     • No compensation: the time worked during the On-Call Working Time is not compensated.
     • Follow pay policies: the On-Call Working Time follows the rules defined in the pay policy.
   • Click Save.
     
     
3. Register and manage on-call shifts and Working Time
   • In the side menu, go to Attendance > On-call.
   • Use filters by employee, period, type, and status.
   • To add a new record, click +New On-call.
     • Search for the employee.
     • Select the category: On-Call Shift or On-Call Working Time.
     • Enter the start and end date/time.
     • Click Create.
   • Requests appear with their current status: Pending, Approved, or Rejected.
   • Administrators and supervisors can approve or reject pending requests from the action icon.
     
     

Do On-Call and On-Call Working Time hours generate Night Shifts?

No. Hours recorded as On-Call or On-Call Working Time are not counted as Worked Hours. Therefore, these periods are also not considered in the Night Shift calculation.

This also applies when a On-Call Working Time takes place between 10 PM and 5 AM. Even if it occurs during this time range, the period remains classified as a On-Call Working Time rather than Worked Hours.

Example

An employee is On-Call and receives a On-Call Working Time from 11 PM to 1 AM.

If this period is recorded only as a On-Call Working Time:

• The 2 hours will be considered On-Call Working Time hours;
• They will not be added to Worked Hours;
• They will not generate Night Shift.

What if the On-Call Working Time period also needs to be counted as Worked Hours?

When the employee actually works during the On-Call Working Time and the company needs this period to also be considered in Worked Hours and Night Shift calculations, an alternative is to record the corresponding punches for the period worked.

In the previous example, in addition to the On-Call Working Time from 11 PM to 1 AM, the employee can record an Entry at 11 PM and an Exit at 1 AM.

This way, the period represented by the punches can be included in Worked Hours and, when it falls within the configured night period, it can also be considered in the corresponding Night Shift Premium calculation.

Important: recording only the On-Call or On-Call Working Time period does not turn it into Worked Hours. When the time actually worked must be considered, the punches should represent the period worked.

Tips or Troubleshooting

• If the On-call tab is not visible, check whether your permission group has Manage On-call or Request & view On-call enabled.
• If you need to change compensation in a standard rule group, create a new rule group.
• Use the Status filter to quickly find pending requests.

Best Practices

• Create different rule groups for positions or departments with different compensation policies.
• Ask employees to register On-Call Working Time immediately after the actual work happens.
• Use date filters in Attendance > On-call before closing payroll.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between On-call Shift and Working Time?
   Shift is the standby period. Working Time is the actual working time during that standby period.

2. Who can approve on-call requests?
   Only users with Manage On-call permission can approve or reject requests.

3. How do I make sure a On-Call Working Time is paid as a different rate?
   In the On-call tab of the rule group, select Pay Policy and confirm that overtime rules are configured.

4. Is recording a Call-Out the same as recording an Entry and an Exit?
   No. A Call-Out has its own classification and does not replace the punches used to count Worked Hours.