Staff "refusing" to work a schedule

[twarlik]

I am an assistant head nurse on my unit, and as such am responsible for putting together staff schedules. I recently posted the holiday schedules and am having a big issue with my unit secretary.

She had requested Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas off this year. All my records indicate that she had these days off last year (this is my first year in this job). This year, I am unable to give her all of these days so have scheduled her to work Christmas Eve and Christmas. She is now "refusing" to work those days and tells me that it is an unreasonable thing to ask since she is a single mother. I am planning on speaking with her Monday, but would like some input from some of you experienced managers.

How would you handle this situation?

Todd

[llg, PhD, RN]

I would be talking with my supervisor and with the Human Resources Department to be sure that you are clear on the official policies in place within your institution. I would not meet with her until I was clear on what those policies were and what type of action my employer would support.

Personally, I believe that there should be a well-established system in place to "take turns" for determining the holiday schedule. The schedule should not be made by one person "behind closed doors" so that it can appear to involve favoritism, etc. Everyone should know the guidelines ahead of time and everyone should have confidence that the system is a fair one and that the work will be spread appropriately and fairly among the whole staff. That eliminates the possibility that someone can claim to be the victim of an unfair practice -- and provides you with a strong foundation for disciplinary action for any employee who doesn't abide by the rules.

Do you have such a system in place? Are there policies that cover the holiday schedule? etc. That's the question.

I've always worked in places that had well-established systems -- and if you didn't abide by it, you went down the formal path of discipline up to and including being fired in the most extreme circumstance.

[twarlik]

Thanks for your response. I plan on speaking with my manager first.

Our system for determining holiday schedules involves a few factors. First, all staff sign up for the holidays they want off by ranking them (1 being their first choice, 2 being the second, etc.). Second, we look at what holidays the person had last year in the event there is a problem with giving someone their first choices. In other words, if you didn't get Christmas off last year and you want it this year, you're more likely to get it than someone who had it off last year. This system is well known by all the staff.

We currently have two unit secretaries who typically split the holidays. The other secretary worked Christmas last year and was wanting it off this year (she does not have children). I personally think this is fair and don't believe that holiday requests should be based upon the fact that someone has children and someone else doesn't.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

How about you split it so that each of the secretaries get either Christmas or Christmas Eve off.

This year the single mom would get Christmas Eve, but she'd have to work Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The next question is, does the childless secretary want New Year's Eve off? Singles generally consider that a holiday and family types prefer to work it and New Year's Day.

When my son was little but old enough to know when Christmas was, I'd switch with someone to have Christmas or Christmas Eve off because I didn't mind working New Year's.

Worked for everyone.

Hope you find a satisfactory solution, but it looks like single mom is going to have to bend a little.

[SarasotaRN2b]

Thanks for your response. I plan on speaking with my manager first.

Our system for determining holiday schedules involves a few factors. First, all staff sign up for the holidays they want off by ranking them (1 being their first choice, 2 being the second, etc.). Second, we look at what holidays the person had last year in the event there is a problem with giving someone their first choices. In other words, if you didn't get Christmas off last year and you want it this year, you're more likely to get it than someone who had it off last year. This system is well known by all the staff.

We currently have two unit secretaries who typically split the holidays. The other secretary worked Christmas last year and was wanting it off this year (she does not have children). I personally think this is fair and don't believe that holiday requests should be based upon the fact that someone has children and someone else doesn't.

Our Clinical Manager had given us time to request what does we wanted by ranking them, as twarlik's did. We had five days (Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New years Day) and we would rank them 1-5, with one being the most desired day off. I think that for the most part everyone is happy. Of course, those that may not be, it is actually their problems because they didn't rank their days.

For the OP, how many unit secretaries do you have that work that shift? I kind of can understand the unit secretary being upset on having to work all three days, especially both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. I think one or the other day should be considered.

Kris

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

For the OP, how many unit secretaries do you have that work that shift? I kind of can understand the unit secretary being upset on having to work all three days, especially both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. I think one or the other day should be considered.

Kris

She was given Thanksgiving.

[twarlik]

Our Clinical Manager had given us time to request what does we wanted by ranking them, as twarlik's did. We had five days (Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New years Day) and we would rank them 1-5, with one being the most desired day off. I think that for the most part everyone is happy. Of course, those that may not be, it is actually their problems because they didn't rank their days.

For the OP, how many unit secretaries do you have that work that shift? I kind of can understand the unit secretary being upset on having to work all three days, especially both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. I think one or the other day should be considered.

Kris

We have two secretaries; one is usually day shift and the other is for evening shift. They both normally work M-F on their respective shifts. They share holidays, in that on holidays one of them works 8-5; covering most of day shift and the beginning of evening shift. The secretary in question is working Christmas Eve and Christmas day. She has Thanksgiving, New Years Eve, and New Years Day off.

Thanks again for all the input. I will probably be speaking to her tomorrow about this.

[blooberri]

This one rings a familiar bell! I completed our holiday rota last month, and from the whole year it is definitely the most time consuming! Our unit (un-written) rules are:1/ you will work one or the other, so please be sensible about rota requests 2/ If we need to shuffle things about you may have to work what you had off last year.

However there is always someone who wants too much time off, and whilst I understand peoples personal commitments (I have a young family myself) at the end of the day we are paid to manage not to be popular! If you succeed at both its a bonus! Check with your HR dept what the rules are, and speak to your manager as she may have solutions that she has used in other years, like splitting the shifts etc. Good Luck!

[steelcityrn, RN]

Many facilities have rules that you must work one winter and one summer holiday. If thats true, she worked it on thanksgiving. If you do not have that policy, she should not have to work both eve and xmas day. May I ask what holidays you are working?

[twarlik]

Many facilities have rules that you must work one winter and one summer holiday. If thats true, she worked it on thanksgiving. If you do not have that policy, she should not have to work both eve and xmas day. May I ask what holidays you are working?

We have no such rule at our hospital. She actually had Thanksgiving off, so even if this rule were in effect she would need to work Christmas.

This all actually worked out well for everyone. I was able to get a nurse on light duty to work as secretary on Christmas Eve so that the regular secretary could have it off. She is still scheduled to work Christmas day. HR was no help; they have no policy governing this sort of thing. How the days are decided is left up to each individual unit.

Thank you all for your input and suggestions!

Since you asked, I am working Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve. I always work my fair share holidays.

Todd

[blooberri]

Do you think HR are little help because they have the whole of Xmas and New Year off?!?

[Mulan]

Many facilities have rules that you must work one winter and one summer holiday. If thats true, she worked it on thanksgiving. If you do not have that policy, she should not have to work both eve and xmas day. May I ask what holidays you are working?

In my experience, the one winter and one summer holiday applies to PRN employees, the regular staff usually work two of the winter holidays and two of the summer holidays.