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Pay policies


The Man in Blue
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I am taking the plunge and have agreed to do some UIC work for a local complex.  Yeah, yeah ... I didn’t learn my lesson when I dabbled for a tournament last year.

One of the things that I want to bring to the table is assistance with developing written policies.  The organization identified pay policies as a place to start (due to a lack of policies and some shenanigans that have occurred).

My first step is to do some benchmarking.  I have some ideas (and a rough draft already) ... but I’m curious how those stack up.  Do the places you work have specific policies on pay and what do they look like?

Specifically, looking for things like:

* games canceled after the tournament has started

* rain delays

* having to work solo 

* incomplete games

* other unusual situations

 

 

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My experience comes from working Fed games through an organization that assigns me to games throughout the area I live:

Games Canceled: If we're on the way to the field, 1/2 game fee. If we're already on property, full game fee.

Rain Delays: Nothing extra.

Solo Work: 1.5 game fee, usually rounded up to the next $5 increment ($73 becomes $75; $76 becomes $80).

Incomplete Games: Full game fee. If a different umpire finishes the game later, 1/2 game fee if they're already there for a second game, full game fee if not. If same umpire finishes game, no fee if they're there for a second game, 1/2 game fee if not.

 

Here's how I would want it if I were the assigner (all fees are rounded up to next dollar):

Cancellations:

  • If a game is canceled more than 24 hours before its start time, no fees to the umpires.
  • If the game is canceled between 24 hours and 2 hours before start time, then (a) no fee if weather-related, or (b) 1/2 game fee for any other reason.
  • If the game is canceled between 2 hours before and the listed start time, then (a) 1/2 game fee if weather-related, or (b) full game fee for any other reason.
  • If the game is canceled after start time, then full game fee.

Continuation Scheduling: If a game is called by the umpire-in-chief and rescheduled to finish at a later date/time:

  • Original umpires will be paid full game fee
  • If called game is due to weather or darkness (or anything outside the control of the teams or umpires), new umpires will be paid 1/2 game fee if the umpires are also there for a second game, or full game fee if not.
  • If called game is due to any other reason (or anything based on team or umpire actions), new umpires will be paid full game fee. 

Solo Work (yes I know this one is weird - it's to entice leagues to get two umpires):

  • If league/team requests one-umpire games, umpire will be paid 1.8 times base fee.
  • If league/team requests two-umpire games but one is scheduled, umpire will be paid 1.5 times base fee.

Multiple Games and Tournaments: For purpose of this section, "scheduled" means a following game starts within one hour of the previous game finishing, no matter who the teams are.

  • If two games are scheduled on the same field, the same umpires may be used for both games.
  • If three or more games are scheduled on the same field, umpires will be scheduled to work no more than two games in a row, with at least a one-game break after the two games.
  • No umpire will work more than four games in a day.
  • Umpires will be paid full game fee for every game worked.
  • If the official start time of a game is more than one hour after the scheduled start time:
    • If due to weather, 1/4 game fee for each hour, rounded to nearest hour
    • For any other reason, 1/2 game fee for each hour, rounded to nearest hour
  • If a full day of games are canceled, umpires will be paid 1/2 game fee for each game scheduled to work, but no more than a full game fee
  • If a partial day of games are canceled, umpires will be paid full game fee
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Thank you @yawetag!  That’s the type of thing I am looking for!  Looking forward to hearing from others.

Some of the issues that have come up in the past have been organizational issues they have (or lack of organization).  Some have been umpires manipulating things.  

I’m trying to strike a good balance of give-and-take that benefits both the umpires and the organization.  For example, as umpires we typically don’t expect to be compensated during a rain delay, but a few years ago we had a situation where a TD would not cancel any games during a rain delay (teams could chose to leave in which case they wouldn’t get a refund) and we were approaching a four hour rain delay and expecting umpires to stay.  That isn’t kosher either.

Please feel free to chime with anything related, such as what you expect or would like to see changed in your umpiring world ... this is going to be a long project!

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As for how they refund teams, that's something you shouldn't become involved as the UIC. As the UIC, you're there for the umpires only, not the teams. However, you should fight for a set delay time when the game is canceled. I'd make it roughly half the expected playing time for the game. If the host doesn't want to start by then, umpires are done - and getting a full game fee.

You can see that in my fees. If the game gets canceled within 2 hours for weather, the umpires already get 1/2 game fee. If the host wants to wait until start time to cancel, the umpires get a full game fee. It's hurting the host director to push it until someone breaks.

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Yes, yes!  I didn’t mean to infer I was working on the cancellation policy ... but just as you pointed out, I’m trying to make sure the umpires aren’t caught up in that.  It is not fair to expect people to sit around for that long because either nobody wants to make a decision (had that happen once when the TD was somebody’s kid with no onsite support) or wants to play that cheap-@$$ game of chicken because he doesn’t want to give money back.

My first draft is basically one game ‘s time limit to make a decision, and then either umpires are released or paid to stay and wait (1/2 game each additional “time limit” plus full pay for games worked afterwards).

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Once the game starts it's the umpires call on whether to call it or not, right? Or do some tournaments defer that to the TD? Unless you're playing on turf most rain delays longer than 30 minutes or so are going to result in an unplayable field except at the higher levels I'd think.  And most tournaments have time limits anyway - I've never seen a case where the rain delays aren't included in game time - but my experience is limited, especially on the umping side as opposed to the coaching side.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Lightning delays is where you run into a problem. Was held hostage this last summer during a lightning delay with no end in sight, site personnel trying to talk to TD elsewhere, no one wants to call it, won’t get championship game in after it anyway due to no lights, etc. That’s the one time we get really screwed. At some point we either need to get paid to sit around, or be able to leave after X time without penalty. That’s a complete waste of my time. 

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On 10/10/2019 at 12:11 AM, The Man in Blue said:

Specifically, looking for things like:

* games canceled after the tournament has started

* rain delays

* having to work solo 

* incomplete games

* other unusual situations

Great place for you to start...

Cancelled games: Where I am we have a 3 hour window. A game cancelled within 3 hrs you owe at least Travel Pay ($25 I believe).. It only applies to the first game. You're scheduled for 3 they cancel before 3 hrs no problem no payment needed. Within 3 hrs you owe travel. Game one is played and a later is not no travel.

Rain/Lightning Delays: We have no extra payment here. I personally believe there should be something in place. I've been stuck at a site much longer than I would ever care to because a tournament needs to get the games in. A previous game at another site was delayed severely by lightning/ rain and the winner had to travel to my site to play my winner of game 1. I believe a 6:00 start time ended being a 10:00 start time and I got nothing for being stuck there for 4 hrs...

Working solo: We generally only do that for youth games, it comes with a $5-10 premium

Incomplete games: Pay full rate

Other situations: I cant think of 

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Our local youth league just approved a game & half fee for solo work.  For a few years we have had a $6 per inning** rate for incomplete games. The next time the two "game suspended teams" play, they finish the first game**...and then play the 2nd (scheduled) game.

 

 

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