What is standby pay?
Standby pay is additional pay for employees required to be immediately available for duty.
Who is eligible for standby pay and how is it earned?
Overtime-eligible employees are eligible for standby pay (
WAC 357-28-205). To qualify, employees must be required by their employer to restrict their off-duty activities to be immediately available for duty.
How is standby pay applied?
The rate of standby pay is 7% of an employee’s base hourly rate (
WAC 357-28-210). If an employer compensates overtime exempt employees, the rate of standby pay must be set at $25.00 per day. The Director of the Office of the State HR Director may
approve exceptions to standby rates based upon business requirements.
Note: Rules and practices may vary between represented and non-represented employees. Check the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement, or talk to the agency’s or institution’s Human Resource staff.