[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 and Call-out.

On-call refers to the full standby period, while call-out refers to the actual time worked during that period. Proper configuration ensures that on-call shifts and call-outs 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 call-outs.
     • Request & view On-call allows employees to submit on-call or call-out requests.
   • Repeat this for every relevant permission level.
   • Without these permissions, the On-call tab does not appear in the Attendance menu.
     
     
2. Define call-out 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 call-out is not compensated.
     • Follow pay policies: the call-out 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.
     
     

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 call-outs 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 call-out 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.