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

[caliotter3]

I agree with what llg said. Have a system in place that is fair and abide by it. Being a single mother has nothing to do with it. If this person does not want to work certain days, then she can take the responsibility to find a suitable replacement for herself so that the job is covered. Otherwise, work the days you are scheduled.

There are those who will call off if they don't get what they want. A wise supervisory staff will keep track of this behavior and take appropriate action on the yearly performace review and/or follow the procedures for absenteeism.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Everyone has a family. How would she like to be a jobless single parent?

[JJGRN]

There are those who will call off if they don't get what they want. A wise supervisory staff will keep track of this behavior and take appropriate action on the yearly performace review and/or follow the procedures for absenteeism.

I think the key is in addressing the behavior. Rather than addressing this as an attendance issue, address the behavioral issue of her telling you what she will and will not work. You should establish some type of consequence if she is left on the schedule and chooses to call out, such as a written warning (for behavior) or suspension, depending on what your standards of conduct allow.

[caliotter3]

I think the key is in addressing the behavior. Rather than addressing this as an attendance issue, address the behavioral issue of her telling you what she will and will not work. You should establish some type of consequence if she is left on the schedule and chooses to call out, such as a written warning (for behavior) or suspension, depending on what your standards of conduct allow.

In my statement I was referring more to the person who simply calls off sick. Most of these individuals are smart enough to know not to tell the supervisor that they do not want to work certain days or hours. They just notice what the schedule says, and call off to suit their own plans. Rarely, are they ever caught or dealt with unless they are very obvious or go overboard and make their absenteeism conspicuous. We had a CNA who called off every Friday night. I once made the remark that the person who did the schedule should know not to schedule that CNA on Friday night because she would never work it. Everybody talked about her and her Fridays off. It was obvious and left the rest of the crew in a lurch. They resented it and were vocal about it. Management should have dealt with it, but didn't.

[Uptoherern, RN]

why doesn't seniority ever play into the decision making?

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

It's totally unfair to other staff to have to work more holidays because of the marital and parenthood status of someone! If working holidays is a huge problem to this woman, she should look for a job that doesn't demand it.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

The hospitals I have worked at here in the UK have a way of putting schedule up a couple months early with expectation of levels of staff and within reason ask the staff to sort it out among themselves with the understanding it is not writing in stone until approved by the charge nurse and it goes up officially and that is not covered appropriately it may change. Never really had any problems and staff generally got what they wanted

[Weeping Willow]

I'm glad it worked out, Todd.

She needs to know, though, that you are very happy to try to give everyone everything they want but the needs of the facility come first. End of story. You hope she stays but she is free to leave if she doesn't appreciate the fact that she has chosen to work in a field that is 24/7.

Medicine, nursing, law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS, TV and radio personalities, government (city managers, emergency plan people) all need to know from the start that they can expect to work some holidays. Lives depend on them. If she can't fit in, she needs to get out. Sorry to be harsh but there are so very many other single parents and they all take their turns at being at work and away from their kids on some holidays. How many concerts, football games, field trips, and on and on have we all missed because of work? Why does she think she should be exempt when she chose this line of work and is free to leave it any time?

That said, I do think that staff should always be given as many holidays off as possible, as well as get as many of their vacation and special needs requests off as possible. Staff should not be punished for asking, harrassed, provoked, or otherwise disrespected and mistreated. They do have lives outside the job.

It is best if staff have leeway to get substitutes for themselves and make their own schedules, with Management having the final approval rights, since Management bears responsibility for wrong or inadequate staffing.

Staff can get creative. Work 4, off 4, work 4 more, etc. work 12's, trade, etc. That way, just about everyone can have at least some time with their loved ones on the biggest holidays, the ones that matter most to them.

Management should not be expected to work staff's responsibilities. Yes, managers should show a lot of appreciation for their staff, always, especially at holiday time. Send in food, have the staff get to spend a little time with their families at work, if at all possible and staff just cannot be off, gifts for staff, etc.

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

What we have done in the past is split shift so each can have some of the day off. If its important for a single mom to be there christmas morning then maybe the other one would work that part so it would work out for the best. Maybe she could work a shorter shift or come in later and stay later. There is always room for compromise. But the refusing to work needs to be addressed because once one is giving a little extra room and allowed to refuse they will think they can do it for every situation.