Requests for Time Off - Part II

I am going to ask everyone to please re-read the procedures for time-off requests at the link below because it seems that there is some confusion about who gets what when. Please remember that JULIE gets the request slips after you have checked the calendar and penciled yourself off, and after she has double-checked the schedule, I then approve the slip.

http://dplnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/requests-for-time-off.html

Also, please do not forget to put your time off on the sheet on the cabinet door! It doesn't seem like people have been doing that consistently lately, and it makes it difficult for us to figure out if you are taking sick, personal, or vacation time, or using/requesting comp.

Thanks!

Requests for Time Off

There appears to be some confusion concerning requests for time off, and in some cases what is considered "adequately covered." So, to clarify -

• Everyone is responsible for CHECKING THE CALENDAR FOR COVERAGE before requesting time off. I simply cannot keep track of everyone, so my answer is always going to be "as long as we are covered," and it is your job to make sure that we are, indeed, covered.

1. During the summer season, "covered" means at least three people on a shift, generally.
2. Volunteers and seasonal staff MUST have a staff member on with them.
3. Volunteers and seasonal staff should NOT be left alone in the building, even when we are not open.

• AFTER you have checked the calendar, if it appears that we will be covered, please lightly (in pencil) cross your name off on the calendar (and if it's just a portion of the shift, pencil in the hours you will be working).  This will let people know that you have requested this date/time off.
  
• THEN give the request slip to Julie. Julie will cross-check the calendar with the other request slips. If we are indeed covered, your name will be crossed off the calendar (or hours changed) in RED PEN. This will let people know that you are definitely off.
  
• THE slip will then be signed by me, and you will get a copy in your mailbox.
  
• DON'T forget to write down the time/hours/comp/what-have-you on the payroll adjustment sheet.

Some things to keep in mind:

• If someone has already asked for the day off, and you taking the time will leave us short, you are welcome to ask someone to cover for you. People picking up extra hours will generally be paid in comp time (except on a SUMMER Saturday, when they have the choice of comp or pay).
  
• Be mindful of the amount of vacation and comp time you have accrued. Remember that you can't carry over more than 10 days vacation to the next year (at your anniversary), and that you can't carry more than your regular weekly total of hours in comp time (so if you work 17.5 hrs per week, then you can carry more than that in comp time). In these instances in particular, I have rules that I have to follow. So while I may not mind if you wrack up comp time, if I get called on it by payroll or administration, I am going to have to follow the rules, and you will lose accrued time.
  
• I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ANYONE ELSE IS DOING! I do not know everyone's schedule off the top of my head, nor do I remember who is taking what day off. The calendar is the first place everyone should look when deciding to take time off.

If you have ANY questions regarding the time off procedure, please let me know!

Comp Time

Did anyone agree to take Zoe's hours on Nov 10 and/or Nov 21??

So far, there have no been any changes made to the calendar on the wall, and I need to know if those times are covered or not.

Let me know ASAP, and if they ARE covered, please change the calendar on the wall to reflect the changes.

Thanks!

Halloween Comp Time Available!!

If anyone is interested in working Saturday - Halloween - for comp time, please let me or Zoe know! Zoe will be here that day, but she will be reading stories for the Halloween event. I also anticipate that it will be buy in here for that very reason.

Thanks!

Holiday Scheduling

Here's the Holiday Scheduling through the end of the year:

Veteran's Day
Wednesday, Nov 11 - CLOSED
If you were regularly scheduled to work that day, you get holiday pay.

Thanksgiving
Thursday, Nov 26 CLOSED
Friday, Nov 27 CLOSED
If you were regularly scheduled to work, you get holiday pay.

Christmas - THERE ARE CHANGES IN OPEN HOURS, SO PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
Wednesday, Dec 23, we will be OPEN 10 - 5 (not 12 - 5 - this is so we can have a short day....)
Thursday, Dec 24, we will be OPEN 9-2 so that people can get home earlier!
Friday, Dec 25 - CLOSED
These changes will NOT affect normal SCHEDULING for Wednesday, but Thursday people will miss a couple of hours in some cases. You can make the hours up, if you wish - see me about it.

New Year - THERE ARE CHANGES IN OPEN HOURS, SO PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
Wednesday, Dec 30, we will be OPEN 10 - 5 (not 12 - 5 - this is so we can have a short day....)
Thursday, Dec 31, we will be OPEN 9 - 2 so that people can get home earlier!
Friday, Jan 1 - CLOSED
These changes will NOT affect normal SCHEDULING for Wednesday, but Thursday people will miss a couple of hours in some cases. You can make the hours up, if you wish - see me about it.

Please mark these changes in open hours in your personal calendar NOW, so that we can minimize confusion in the next two months.

All of these changes have been reflected on the LARGE CALENDAR on the wall - which will now be the SCHEDULING BIBLE (more on that later). Also, people's requested time off is on the calendar.

EVERYONE, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND GO OVER THE SCHEDULE CALENDAR FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR and make sure everything is correct!

If you have any questions, let me know.

Thanks!

Extra Summer Hours and Saturday Comp Time

I have received the OK from Sandy to offer all staff extra (paid!) hours for our extended summer hours. I have not yet determined the extra hours (I won't be able to figure that out until I know who is interested in extra hours), but it will most likely be something along the lines of opening at 10 T-F, staying open later on Wednesday, and perhaps opening early (8 or 9) on Saturday. Again, I won't know exactly until I can sit down with the money and a potential schedule of extra hours and more seasonal help. This is completely your choice, it is not mandatory to pick-up extra hours.

So, if you are interested in extra hours for July and August, please let me know how many and (approximately) when.

ALSO, now that it is picking up on Saturdays, I am opening up Saturday comp time to anyone who is interested. This is not mandatory (so, not a rotating schedule) - if you would like some comp time on Saturday, just let me know. To be clear, this may or may not go through summer - if I am able to pay people for Saturdays in July and August with our "extra" summer budget funds, that will be my first choice. But for now, if you would like to comp any Saturdays, you are welcome to do so (first come, first dibs).

Time Off Requests

I mentioned in the last staff meeting that I would be putting Time Off Requests with the Staff Calendar - they are now there (green sheets attached to the front). It would be helpful if you could take a look at the calendar and submit a sheet for any dates that you have (already) tagged from next week forward.

You do not have to have a separate sheet for each date.

As I mentioned at the meeting, I am putting this in place simply as a way to help me stay clued in to when people would like to/need to be out. I don't anticipate on denying requests unless granting a request would make it very difficult to operate (naturally having 3 people out on a single day would be hard to accommodate...).

If you have questions on this, please ask.

Thanks!

New Year's Eve part II

Hi all,

We will be doing the 9-2 hours for Wednesday, December 31st.

Hope everyone is having / had a very Merry Christmas!!

New Year's Eve

Does anyone want me to change the NYE hours to 9-2 like Christmas Eve, or does no one care? Makes no difference to me, but if people scheduled that day would rather be out early, then I will change the schedule. Let me know ASAP. Thanks!

Circulation Schedule

A new circulation coverage schedule has been posted on the closet in back (in bright pink!) and on the circulation desk.

This schedule is being implemented to give Kathy and MaryLou SCHEDULED time off the desk so that they can work on their other tasks. As we all know, we are insanely busy right now, and we need all the circ help we can get. This schedule may be a work in progress, so if something needs tweaking, please let Kathy or me know. However, you should expect that a circ coverage schedule of some sort will persist after the summer crush as well.

I know that everyone is doing what they can in terms of doing their own work and helping with circulation, and I appreciate everyone's cooperation.

Five more weeks...

Saturdays

Is anyone interested in working Saturday, August 2? Lisa is available to switch the following Saturdays in August, but needs the second off.... If you can work, let Lisa know.