The Office of Personnel Management has sent out guidance
on eligibility for overtime pay for “standby” duty required
when federal employees may be restricted to their agency’s
premises for periods extending beyond their normal working
hours-a not-uncommon requirement for agencies to impose on
managers in severe weather or other emergency situations.
In general, OPM said, employees are entitled for additional
pay for extended hours only when the employee is restricted
to an agency’s premises, or so close to them that the
employee’s time may not be used effectively for his or her
own purposes, and the employee is required to remain in a
state of readiness to perform work. If an employee is
actually on duty for a 24-hour shift and meets the
requirements in OPM’s regulations for standby duty pay, he
or she is entitled to receive pay for at least 16 hours (8
hours of basic pay and 8 hours of overtime pay) of the
24-hour shift.
The rules on standby duty are in 5 CFR
