Field Service Technician: When does the clock start?

Question: I am a Field Service Technician and must call in each day from home to get my day’s schedule. Am I on the clock from this point on?

Answer: The question of whether initial activities start the clock has been a hot issue with field service technicians.

If a field service tech must do a significant amount of work at home prior to leaving for their first assignment or after returning from their last assignment, their employer may be required to pay them for their travel time to or from home, which for most employees would be unpaid commuting time.  This is one of the many overtime rules that too often go ignored.