# second job for on-call EMT?



## heythere (Dec 22, 2011)

Hows it going, 

So I was able to pick up a job as an on-call EMT which requires me to have a 24/7 open schedule to pick up shifts when they need me to. Unfortunately, the paychecks that are coming in my way aren't cutting it and I need to find another source of income. Any of you out there know/have other  (legal)  jobs that are generally flexible enough to accommodate this line of work? 

Thanks


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## STXmedic (Dec 22, 2011)

Find a different FT job that doesn't want to own you and your personal life.


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## Aprz (Dec 22, 2011)

I don't know if you are calling them for shifts already or not. Try picking up more shifts too. Don't expect them to just give it to you. I know a lot of positions like that, they aren't gonna give it to you without you asking, or them really needing you. At my company, same issue was going on, and a lot of people complained that they aren't getting shifts, or they aren't getting the schedule they want, but you can always call up whoever is in charge of scheduling and work out your schedule ahead of time so you know your schedule and get the hours you want. Even as somebody considered on call/part time where I work, I've been working full time since my FTO training (except for two weeks when I went to EMT Refresher).

I still work at my previous job covering people there if I am not working my EMT job on that day, and if I feel like covering. I was pretty burnt out there, but now that I work there so irregularly, it's not bad at all. I get a free lunch, practice my Spanish, and see some pretty girls.


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## DrParasite (Dec 23, 2011)

heythere said:


> So I was able to pick up a job as an on-call EMT which requires me to have a 24/7 open schedule to pick up shifts when they need me to. Unfortunately, the paychecks that are coming in my way aren't cutting it and I need to find another source of income. Any of you out there know/have other  (legal)  jobs that are generally flexible enough to accommodate this line of work?


what PJ said, find another job.

if you need to be on call, 1) you should be compensated for it and 2) having a 24/7 on call shifts is absurd.  you have no life, and you aren't properly compensated.  

what happens if they call you and you aren't available?  what if you are on a date/with family/in the shower/sick/drunk or just don't want to come in when they are calling you?

find a REAL FT or PT job, one that gives you the hours you need.  then, if the on call company calls you, if you are avail, you can take the shift.

but if you are required to be available 24/7, and only getting on call pay and a few hours a week of real money, than start looking for a new job.


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## heythere (Dec 23, 2011)

DrParasite said:


> what happens if they call you and you aren't available?  what if you are on a date/with family/in the shower/sick/drunk or just don't want to come in when they are calling you?



When they call, you aren't obligated to take the shift, but then you probably won't be getting many future calls if there are openings later on. However if you're assigned rather than asked, then it is required to show up. They do email you the night before in advance if you are assigned, so it can be worse. Still,  regardless of being sick/ gotta date/family time/shower/drunk, you have to go to the doctors for a doctors note to prove it. If there's no proof and they cannot find anyone else to cover the shift, I believe after a warning you can be let go. Finding another might seem ideal, but until then, anybody have a second job idea that can work with this kind of schedule?


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## DrParasite (Dec 24, 2011)

heythere said:


> When they call, you aren't obligated to take the shift, but then you probably won't be getting many future calls if there are openings later on.


get this clarified by management.  my former job would call per diems not on the shift, by seniority.  unless they knew you wouldn't take the shift, you always go a call.  





heythere said:


> However if you're assigned rather than asked, then it is required to show up. They do email you the night before in advance if you are assigned, so it can be worse.


if you are assigned, you should be getting on call rate.  if you are on the ambulance, you should be getting a much higher working rate





heythere said:


> Still,  regardless of being sick/ gotta date/family time/shower/drunk, you have to go to the doctors for a doctors note to prove it. If there's no proof and they cannot find anyone else to cover the shift, I believe after a warning you can be let go.


if you aren't assigned the shift, than they can't reprimand you for not being available.





heythere said:


> Finding another might seem ideal, but until then, anybody have a second job idea that can work with this kind of schedule?


no job will accept you being on call 24/7, and if you receive a call, you need to leave and answer the on call page.

Not trying to be rude, just being realistic. if you can accept or reject shifts with no penalties, that's great, that means you can work any job and pick up spare shifts when you aren't working.  but if you MUST accept EVERY shift once they call you, regardless of date and time, than no, there will be no job that will work with that schedule


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## Thriceknight (Dec 24, 2011)

This sounds like Protransport-1's B:censored::censored:S 24/7 availability scheme. As an ex-PT1 employee I can tell you that if you agree to be available "24/7" they expect you to drop whatever you're doing or planned on doing and be there for the assigned shift. This week you could get 38hrs and next 4hrs and the next 0hrs. And yeah you can pick up shifts from any of the other stations but there's no guarantee you'll get approved for them.And if you work in San Francisco you can only pick up shifts from the SF station due to the Union agreement and most of those shifts are strike shifts..a measly 4hrs and those can be cut at last minute. If the whole scheduling dept was set up the way it is i would still be working for them. But as DrParasite said...its just not worth it to be on-call without being compensated.


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## Handsome Robb (Dec 24, 2011)

Thriceknight said:


> This sounds like Protransport-1's B:censored::censored:S 24/7 availability scheme. As an ex-PT1 employee I can tell you that if you agree to be available "24/7" they expect you to drop whatever you're doing or planned on doing and be there for the assigned shift. This week you could get 38hrs and next 4hrs and the next 0hrs. And yeah you can pick up shifts from any of the other stations but there's no guarantee you'll get approved for them.And if you work in San Francisco you can only pick up shifts from the SF station due to the Union agreement and most of those shifts are strike shifts..a measly 4hrs and those can be cut at last minute. If the whole scheduling dept was set up the way it is i would still be working for them. But as DrParasite said...its just not worth it to be on-call without being compensated.



If that's true can I let you in on a secret? They get away with it because you are expendable. They probably have 100+ apps in a stack waiting to take your job. You better be ready to pay to play in a job market like that. I'm glad that's not the case at all where I work. If I get a page for an open shift, if I don't want to work I delete the page and they never know the difference.


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## Thriceknight (Dec 24, 2011)

NVRob said:


> If that's true can I let you in on a secret? They get away with it because you are expendable. They probably have 100+ apps in a stack waiting to take your job. You better be ready to pay to play in a job market like that. I'm glad that's not the case at all where I work. If I get a page for an open shift, if I don't want to work I delete the page and they never know the difference.



Believe me I know how expendable we are. And it is true. Thats why I quit and got a real gig. 

Hey NVRob. I see you're a medic student. I just posted in the education and training section about trying to find a Medic program in the U.S. If ya have a second..respond to it  Thanks.


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## Thriceknight (Dec 24, 2011)

Thriceknight said:


> Believe me I know how expendable we are. And it is true. Thats why I quit and got a real gig.
> 
> Hey NVRob. I see you're a medic student. I just posted in the education and training section about trying to find a Medic program in the U.S. If ya have a second..respond to it  Thanks.



My mistake. Its in EMS Employment. I'd move it but I don't know how. LOL :wacko:


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