I guess some guys jumpseat in to start without a rest, but it is frowned upon by my company, and if they j/s on company aircraft, that flight is shown on their schedule just like an operational leg (NOT subject to duty limits but still visible to management, etc.). I would have problems blasting off with a guy like that and we may end up talking to the duty officer.
Didn't your company try to get pilots to check in for their flights hours before from a local phone number some years ago? Not sure it would work in these days of Skype, caller ID spoofing and cell phones but the idea has some merit. I've both commuted and lived at the domicile over the years. When I commuted, I always figured it was my job to get to work. I also felt obligated to the other crewmembers to get some rest. Still, some of my coworkers seem to want me to cover for them when they show up late for a crossing with no rest. "I'm catching the redeye from the coast, it gets in 30 minutes before show time, if I don't make it to the briefing I'll meet you at the plane, here's my cell phone number." I guess that's why we carry extra pilots.
