Legal Definitions - limbo time

Limbo time refers to a period when an employee is neither actively performing their job duties nor entirely free from work-related obligations or employer control. During this intermediate state, an employee's personal time and freedom are constrained by their employment, even though they are not directly engaged in work tasks.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Flight Crew on Layover: Imagine a commercial airline pilot who has completed a flight from New York to London. Their next flight is scheduled for two days later, and the airline requires them to stay in a specific hotel provided by the company during this layover. While the pilot is not actively flying the plane (on duty), they are also not completely free to go home or use their time as they wish, as they must remain available, rested, and in a location dictated by the airline for their next assignment. This period, where they are not working but also not fully off-duty, constitutes limbo time.

• Remote Field Technician Awaiting Transport: Consider a technician working on a remote offshore wind farm. After completing their scheduled maintenance tasks for the day, they are required to remain on the platform overnight because the company's transport vessel only departs once every 24 hours. Although their shift has ended and they are not actively working, they cannot leave the company's premises or fully disengage from work-related constraints until the next morning's transport. This waiting period on the platform, where they are confined by employer logistics, is an example of limbo time.

• Emergency Services Personnel on Standby: A paramedic has finished their regular 12-hour shift at a busy urban emergency medical services station. Due to an unexpected city-wide emergency alert and staffing shortages, they are instructed by their supervisor to remain at the station for an additional four hours on "active standby." During this time, they are not responding to calls but must be fully uniformed, ready to deploy immediately, and cannot leave the premises. This mandatory standby period, where they are not actively working but are under strict employer control and availability requirements, is considered limbo time.