vacation requests

HRinGA

We are a 24/7 operation. Each department has the flexibility to administer their PTO policy the way that best fits their needs. Our Production department is having a hard time with honoring vacation requests during holiday season. Due to the nature of our business, some weeks are blocked out. They start with seniority and allow each employee to book 1/2 their PTO the first go around. Then they start over for a second go around. After 3/31, it's open season. It's causing friction and low morale. The same people get the same week off every year, etc. etc. For those in a similar environment; can you share your vacation request policy/guidlines? I'd like to see how others do it before we hammer something out. Thx!

marc

I am not in a similar environment, but we require rotation for the holidays that are in high demand. If the EE got Christmas last year, they don't get first crack at Christmas this year. Same with the other biggies and oft requested three day week-ends. It takes a bit of tracking, but the EEs generally perceive it as fair. Generally if you did not get Xmas, you could get Thanksgiving or Labor day, etc. We allow trades with management approval to make sure there is no undue influence being exerted.

HRinNH

We don't have that problem here, our company closes for the major holidays. But I think your plan is a good one! Keeps everyone happy.

mdm

Although I am not in the same 24/7 work environment, we had problems a few years ago with the issue of vacation based on seniority. Seniority does allow for the same people to get the same time off every year. We adjusted it so that if you had the time off last year during the holidays you won't neccesarily receive it this year. It now depends on who else requests the time. At first the staff complained, "but I always take that week off". Now everyone is use to it and the staff realizes it is up to the supervisor to decide.

lorrie

Our company goes by first-come first-served, regardless of seniority. Vacation forms are handed out around March and the official start of the new vacation year is May 1. No vacation requests are allowed prior to the new vacation forms.

Dutch2

We leave it up to each Supervisor to schedule vacation days within their departments. If two or more ee's from one area request the same vacation period we use seniority first. However, if necessary we rotate down through the seniorty list each year to ensure it is not always the same ee getting the much sought after vacation days just before and/or after a holiday. So far it is working very well.
Good luck.

mushroomHR

Our company handles it the same as Dutch2 and it has worked well for us.

KathiHR

I worked for years in a medical lab - 24/7. We used a combination of several ideas given here. The vacation calendar went through the department by seniority in Sept for the upcoming calendar year. We were in a position to let 1/2 of the people off right at a holiday, so you could either take Thanksgiving or Christmas, not both, & not the same one you took last year. Same with Labor Day & Memorial Day, one or the other & not the same one as year before.