3-05-020 Scheduling Policy

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

 

The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for the routine scheduling of personnel, assignment of overtime, scheduling vacations, granting of time off requests, and for the orderly incorporation of newly assigned personnel.

 

SCOPE OF ORDER: 

 

This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to and/or working at Men's Central Jail (MCJ).

 

ORDER:

 

            DISTRIBUTION OF PRE-SCHEDULED OVERTIME

 

1.         Employees interested in working overtime will sign up for the days and shifts they are interested in working via the Scheduling Management System (SMS).  MCJ scheduling will track all pre-scheduled overtime to ensure a fair distribution of overtime and will determine the amount of overtime necessary for each day. 

 

2.         Employees will not be allowed to sign up and give away overtime to another employee.

 

3.         If an employee cannot or does not want to work the overtime they have been hired for, they must notify scheduling at least three (3) working days before the scheduled shift.

 

 

4.         The maximum amount of overtime an employee may work in a calendar month is ninety-six (96) hours.

 

• All types of overtime, including briefing time, shooting time, court time, late reports, etc., fall under this ninety-six (96) hour restriction.

 

5.         No employee shall work back-to-back doubles except when necessary to appear in court.  A back-to-back double is defined as working 16 hours or more (consecutively or non-consecutively), irrespective of start time, followed or preceded by another work period in excess of 12 hours (consecutively or non-consecutively) in any 48-hour period.  

 

6.         Employees having pre-approved variance time off or a swap off for the shift with the position vacancy shall be exempt from involuntary hiring sixteen (16) hours prior to the vacancy shift and sixteen (16) hours following the vacancy shift.

 

7.         Employees shall not work more than twelve (12) consecutive days without a scheduled day off.

 

8.         Employees hired for overtime shall work the shift they’ve been hired for.  Any changes or cancellations must be approved by scheduling personnel.

 

B.        UNSCHEDULED OVERTIME

 

1.         Unscheduled overtime due to sick call-ins, bereavement leave, etc., shall be hired from the "Overtime Stand-by” list in SMS.  An overtime log kept on SMS will be used to determine which employee has the least amount of overtime for the month.  Eligible employees with the least amount of overtime will be hired first.

 

3. INVOLUNTARY HIRING (“DRAFT”)

 

Watch commanders shall apply the following guidelines when selecting the appropriate employee to draft:

 

1.         The employee with the least amount of overtime during the previous and current calendar month, excluding vacations and extended leaves, shall be drafted.

 

• • The employee with the fewest drafts in the current and prior calendar month shall be drafted.

 

• • If those steps fail to identify an employee to be drafted, inverse department seniority shall be used.

 

2. Employees may not work double shifts on consecutive days.  Consider whether drafting would violate the back-to-back double policy.

 

3. Consider whether the employee is working overtime on a regular day off (RDO).

 

4. Consider whether the employee is “swapped off” for the upcoming shift.  Employees on a “swap-on” status are eligible to be drafted to the next shift (swap-on is considered a regular workday).

 

5. Consider whether the employee has been approved for a variance for the following day, e.g., an employee is working PM shift and is drafted to work early morning shift, however, the employee has been authorized a pre-approved variance for the following PM shift.  This employee shall not be drafted (excluding exigent circumstances).

 

6. A two-week grace period for mandatory overtime shall be given to newly hired personnel on training status.  This does not preclude a watch commander from asking employees on training status if they are willing to work overtime (excluding exigent circumstances), taking into consideration the vacancy position and the impact such hiring may have on the training of the employee.

 

D.        ROUTINE TIME OFF REQUESTS

 

1. The daily scheduling variance consists of the maximum number of personnel permitted off for routine time off requests or pre-scheduled vacations. 

 

2. An allotted number of variances will be given for routine time off requests. Those selections will be made by scheduling personnel from the submitted requests on hand at the time of the selection process.  This time off shall be based on unit seniority.

1. 1. Should variances remain available following the completion of the time off selection process, they would be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

1. 2. Routine time off requests will be approved or disapproved based on staffing needs for that particular shift.

1. 3. Any deviation from the above guidelines shall be approved by the scheduling sergeant or watch commander.

 

3. Employees calling in sick must do so at least two (2) hours prior to the beginning of their assigned shift.

4. Employees shall remain at their residence (or other place approved by the supervisor taking the call-in) during the entire eight (8) hour period of the missed shift.

 

5. In all matters of granting time off, the needs of the unit shall be the highest priority.

 

E.        VACATIONS

 

1.         Vacations shall be scheduled and granted within the guidelines of applicable county codes.

 

2.         Personnel will be given their choice of vacation periods based on Departmental seniority.

 

3.         A vacation list will be generated, and a formal vacation request period will be initiated for personnel to request their desired dates of vacation.  Those with the most Departmental seniority will receive first choice.

 

4.         Personnel who transfer to MCJ after the formal vacation request period waive all seniority rights for vacations but will receive their choice of remaining available spots.

 

5.         Personnel will resume their normal Department seniority rights when the next annual vacation list is prepared.

 

F.         SHIFT ASSIGNMENTS AND TRANSFERS

 

1. 1. Newly assigned trainees will be assigned to any shift.  Other newly assigned personnel and personnel assigned to units such as Logistics may be assigned to any shift.

 

1. 2. Upon completion of the training program, newly assigned personnel may be required to transfer to another shift in order to facilitate transfer requests made by personnel with more unit seniority.

 

1. 3. Personnel who have been assigned to a shift for a period of at least one year from their unit assignment date, and have successfully completed training, will not be forced to transfer to another shift regardless if they possess less seniority than personnel requesting a transfer.  This policy does not apply to units within MCJ such as Logistics, or operational positions.

 

1. 4. Personnel who have completed training and are desirous of a shift change may submit a shift transfer request at any time.

 

1. 5. Shift transfers will be granted based upon unit seniority as vacancies occur.

 

1. 6. Permanent shift trades will not be permitted without the approval of scheduling.

 

1. 7. Personnel assigned to limited duty status may be required to work any shift depending on the availability and distribution of limited duty positions at the facility.

 

1. 8. Returning personnel who have been away on maternity leave, extended illness, or injured-on-duty (IOD) status shall be assigned to their previous shift when possible and in accordance with the needs of the facility.

 

1. 9. Logistics and operational positions are an extension of MCJ.  These assignments should be considered temporary and operate at the discretion of the MCJ unit commander.

 

G.        SCHEDULING CHANGES

 

1.         Shift scheduling changes for all personnel shall become effective at the beginning of a new cycle.

 

2.         Shift scheduling changes shall take effect on the first day of the new cycle (or month) at the beginning of early morning shift.

 

3.         Employees affected by a scheduling shift change shall be notified at least five (5) calendar days prior to such change.

 

4.         Employees may voluntarily elect to waive the shift change notification requirement.

 

H.        JOB CHANGE REQUESTS

 

1.         To allow affected personnel sufficient time to make adjustments for job, shift, or RDO changes, scheduling assignments for the following cycle are posted five (5) days prior to the start of the cycle.