Experience Files

Generally speaking, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring on-call coverage rests with the employer. While it might seem convenient to shift this burden, the legal and practical realities usually point to management.

It's certainly reasonable to ask an employee who's planning a vacation to attempt to arrange coverage if their time off coincides with their scheduled on-call rotation. This proactive approach can help streamline the process. However, if their attempts don't yield results, the responsibility to find a solution falls squarely back on management.

There are, of course, situations where asking an employee to find their replacement would be completely unreasonable, even ridiculous. These include unforeseen circumstances like illness, bereavement, injury, or even an employee suspension. In such cases, the focus should be on the employee's well-being or the disciplinary action, not on their ability to secure coverage.

It's also important to be aware that despite past experiences or what you may have been told by previous employers, it could actually be illegal in your state to reprimand an employee for being unable to provide coverage while they are legitimately unavailable. Always check your local labor laws to ensure compliance.