On-call without on-call pay?

Anyone ever heard of being on-call without on-call pay? Manager calls it “stand-by.”

I started a new facility last month, critical access, low volume LDRP. Contract states 3x12 a week, plus one 12 hour call shift. I got cancelled last week for low census (0 maternity patients, and was told I’m on call the rest of the shift if someone comes in. Ok, no big deal.

I turn in my timesheet this weekend and my manager won’t approve it because she says I was on “stand-by” not on-call. I said what’s the difference, if you call I still have to come in. “We don’t call it on-call cause then we’d have to pay you call pay and it’s not your scheduled call shift.” WTF.

I affirmed that I still have to come in if they call though, so I think I should be getting on-call pay. Manager states that they guarantee a minimum of 32 hours, so they don’t have to pay me call pay. I say those two things have nothing to do with one another especially since I worked in person for over 32 hours for the week. So they got 48 hours of work out of me between bedside and call, but are only paying for 40.

I think it’s illegal for them to say I’m on call without paying me for that time. Recruiter agrees. It’s going up the chain, but I’m just baffled.

Been working as a nurse for 15 years, traveling for 3 and never heard of this ridiculousness.