Legal Question in Employment Law in Washington

Re: Pay for working on-call at home?

First, I am assuming you are not a manager and thus an exempt employee.

First, you should be paid for the hours that you are actually doing work during your "on call" time.

Second, if your employer has a policy that you must get authorization for overtime prior to working it, then they can "write you up" for working unauthorized overtime, but they still do have to pay it to you. However, if you are instructed to work during a certain period of time, whether explicitly or by implication (for example, "Don't go home until this is done"), then the overtime is authorized, and disciplining you is arguably retaliation for your exercising your statutory rights.

You may want to talk to the Dept.of Labor and Industries about this matter. You can also treat it as a civil matter if you like, but hiring an attorney to try to resolve problems with your current employer tends to create a really uncomfortable workplace, and I can't recommend it.