Effective: 08-24-23
Supersedes: 06-22-20
Purpose: To define how shift vacancies will be filled.
Policy: All shift vacancies will be handled according to the procedural guidelines to ensure a fair distribution of hours.
Procedure:
Regular Vacancies
When a regular vacancy occurs, Brewster and EasCare Ambulance Service will post a shift bid via the scheduling software. Qualified employees will have up to seven (7) calendar days from the date of posting to bid for the vacancy.
Shift bids will be awarded to the qualified senior employee, subject to operational needs or requirements of municipal contracts or requirements of facilities in the service area, which may include but are not limited to:
· Level of certification/licensure
· Experience, length of service at the certification level
· Type of experience, rescue vs. transfer assignment
· Knowledge of service area/facilities
· Knowledge of the local EMS system
· Local/regional medical control credentials
When an employee is not awarded a shift bid, management shall notify the employee via the scheduling software. Any subsequent vacancies created by the initial posting will also be posted and filled in the same manner as the initial vacancy.
Any resulting subsequent vacancies that are not filled via shift bid will be filled at the discretion of management.
Once an employee is awarded a shift, they may not bid again for a shift vacancy for a six month period. Company seniority for regular vacancies shall be determined as follows:
Full-Time Employees, Part-Time Employees, and then Per-Diem Employees.
In the event that two or more employees have the same seniority date (length with the company), preference will be given to time in grade / position. For example, two employees were both hired on the same day. One was hired as an EMT, and the other as a Paramedic. A year later, the EMT upgrades to Paramedic. Now both employees have bid for a Paramedic opening. Since they both have same seniority date, the team member that has been functioning as a Paramedic longer would receive preference. When all things are equal, seniority will be determined by management.
Temporary Vacancies
Positions that are anticipated to be of six (6) months in duration or less, are deemed to be temporary vacancies and are not subject to posting and bidding procedures. Such vacancies may be the result of a team-member calling out sick, vacation day, other short-term leaves, or the need to staff additional units to cover a detail or special event.
Overtime will be paid to non-exempt employees who work over 40 hours in a workweek. Overtime will be paid at the rate of 1.5 times the employee’s regular hourly rate for all eligible worked hours.
Employees must submit their desire to work a particular shift by placing a bid via the scheduling software program. Eligible employees may bid on any empty shifts at any time. Generally, part-time and per diem employees will be able to bid on available openings up to 30 days in advance, while full time employees can bid on openings up to two weeks in advance.
The awarding of an overtime shift should not result in an employee working more than 24 continuous hours whenever possible. Continuous shifts in excess of 24 hours are at management’s discretion. Vacancies will be filled in the following order:
1. Per Diem employees with less than 40 hours scheduled for the week,
2. Part Time employees with less than 40 hours for the week,
3. Full Time employees with 36-40 hours scheduled for the week
4. Full Time employees with at least 40 hours scheduled for the week
5. Part Time employees with at least 40 hours scheduled for the week,
6. Per Diem employees with at least 40 hours scheduled for the week.
In the event more than one employee in the same category (above) bids on the same vacancy, preference will be given to the individual that will incur the fewest number of overtime hours for the payweek. In the event of a tie, preference will be given to the person with more seniority.
Certain overtime shifts may require additional skills or training such as certain details. These shifts will be filled at the discretion of management in order to fulfill contractual obligations.
It is the employee’s responsibility to check the scheduling software while on duty for any open shifts and to bid as appropriate.
Employees who list themselves as “Available” may get preference for shifts that become open at the last minute. Employees are responsible for checking their calendar on the scheduling software and to arrive as scheduled and ready to work to all of their assigned shifts.
Management reserves the right to change the location and/or times of any shift based on operational need.