Vacation Scheduling Issue

LindaS

Need some assistance...

We are a union facility and the current contract states that vacation is scheduled, and approved, based on production needs and it done on a first come, first serve basis. We have ALOT of EEs with 20+ days of vacation and the contract does not require these EEs to use their vacation in one-week blocks of time, they can schedule it one day at a time. Earlier this year we decided to limit the number of employees that can be off on prescheduled vacation days without regard to production. Here's the problem...

As you are aware, summer is a big time for vacations. We had two EEs request 1/2 day vacations every Friday during the months of July, August and into September. Allowing these two off (they both requested the same days) meant that no other EE in their area could have that day, or even that entire week off, on prescheduled vacation so we denied the request and informed them that we would wait until the time got closer to determine if they could have that time off. Now I get a request from a different EE requesting every Friday off beginning in June and running through September. I think that I should go back to the original EEs to see if they want a full day before granting this request but am not sure. I want to be fair to all EEs but am not sure whether to just approve this new request since she is asking for the entire day or placing soem type of limit on the number of days that she can have at this time.

What say you all?

pork1

You must be fair and consistent in the execution of a policy or benefit. Follow your published guidance on this issue.

This may be a negotiated issue with your union on the next contract. But for now, follow your published agreement to the letter. Letting someone apply for a scheduled published system, as first come first served, means to me that you should approve the leaves unless you can defend your actions as a business requirement which is contrary to your previous published rules and guidance. It is these types of actions that caused your company to be unionized in the first place.

PORK

WT

I have been through the vacation wars in some detail. While the employer is generally free to determine how much staff is needed at any time, (this will determine how many people can be off on vacation on any given day), it must be negotiated with the union the method of determining who will get the vacation available. I would involve the union as they have a vested interest in some sort of fairness. If people are taking one day per week all summer and that precludes others from taking the whole week, I would suggest some sort of deadline for scheduling whole weeks. Say, for instance, April 1 in a given year. After that date, take the one day requests for the summer months. This puts people on notice to make their plans and get vacation requests submitted. It also gives the people wanting one day their chance as well. If the union buys in, that should settle the issue.

njjel

Good advice above and next neogitation time I would definitely be pushing for vacation time by seniority with a definite set number of ee's that could be off at any one time.