Normally pto days are first come first come first serve. Since we are always short staffed, you have to put your requests in far in advance , especially if you want off for a weekend or during the summer..
We just were told that since so many people requested days for the schedule that's about to be posted/finalized, that the only way the request will be approved is if you get someone to cover your days. This is extremely difficult since everyone is so burned out nobody wants to pick up extra days. Your best hope is swapping a day with someone but even doing that is often not possible. You also are not allowed to get someone to pick up your day if they will be in overtime while you would not be in OT for that shift. To me, getting someone to cover your shift means it's not a pto day at that point.
The email also said our days would be approved if we offered to pick up another day(s) that's short. Fucked up thing is I emailed offering to do exactly that and despite what the email said was told the only way to take my days off would be to find coverage myself.
- Here is the email we got:
Good morning, the next schedule will be very challenging for us as there are a lot of schedule requests. I will need everyone's cooperation to either move a shift to a different day that has a need or find a replacement. I cannot accommodate the requests without a replacement. This affects all requests, not just the weekend.
If you would like an extra shift, please submit via shift wizard to help out with these requests. PRN staff, please submit your minimum shifts.
- My response:
Just wanted to check with you about the two days I requested off Apr 25 and Apr 26. Supposed to go out if the country leaving on the 25th and returning on the 30th. I'm open to picking up other shifts where there are needs if you can let me know what works best for you.
Thanks,
Her reply:
* RTwithArecord, see what you can do to get it covered. What I really need is for someone to pick up the shift
I've been at thus job for a year, have not been late a single day, and I've actually never taken any pto days yet. I've also picked up extra shifts every single time my manager had asked on days when we were super short. She's asked about 10 times over the year I've been here.
I'm supposed to go out of the country for a week for best friends batchelors party. I put in the request for a Tuesday and a Wednesday off about 4 months prior to the days I want off.
The policy at my hospital is that of you call in on days that you have been denied PTO , you get written up.
I'm def calling in sock but they treat us with such little respect here.