| Help With 12-Hour Schedule |
| Monday, December 17 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A mid-western police comm center wants to switch to a 12-hour shift schedule, and happened to notice a particular schedule on this Web site. However, the agency isn't sure how or why the schedule is compliant with federal labor law--FLSA. If you were the agency to post this shift, or know how to make it work legally, leave a comment here.
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#29
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We work 12 hour shifts at my center and it works out nicely. It's a two week rotation. On week one you work mon and tues 5a-5p(d) or 5p-5a(n), you have off Wed and Thurs, then you work Fri, Sat and Sun. On week two you have off Mon and Tues, work Wed and Thurs, and have off Fri, Sat, and Sunday. |
kelly e
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We work a schedule of 12 hour shifts, 4 on 3 off, 3 on 4 off, our pay period is set to halfway through our 4th shift (whatever time we start...) That way, it will only generate 4 hours of overtime per 2 week period. We were able to sell it to our board because the money that they would save in hiring less dispatchers (benefits, pay, vacation, etc). It takes 6 people to staff 1 position (24x7) on 8 hour shifts, 5 people to staff 1 position on 10 hour shifts, and only 4 people to staff on 12 hour shifts. So you can reduce your manpower pool down, creating less sick time usage (studies have shown that sick leave usage goes down 30% when on this schedule, due to having 4 days off every other week). There was a little resistance to going to 12 hour shifts (by the senior dispatchers), but now after being on it, it would create a war to try to take them away from them. Everyone loves the shift. We typically staff for 3 or 4 in the room at a time and can go down to 2 between 3 am and 7 am, so we have 3 people work day on each side of the rotation of days off, and 2 people work nights on each side of the rotation of days off, 1 cover on each side for 11-23, and 1 cover each side for 15-03. If one of the day shift or night shift calls in sick or has vacation, one of the cover shifts adjusts forward or backward 4 hours. It tends to work until you become really understaffed. Then you need to start hiring like crazy to get your numbers back up. |
Christy
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Hello.... can anyone provide and actual 12 hour schedule template? My boss is wanting to see an actual posted schedule and any answers on dealing with overtime, vacations coverage and sick callouts? It would be greatly appreciated if anyone had info. My agency, just about the only one left in this tri-county area that still works 5/8's,is considering going to 12 hour shifts and we can't wait, but, of course they want to know as much about it as possible. Thanks in advance! |
38
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we work 12 hour shifts. We get paid every two weeks. work week is also follows Monday - 0700-1900 Tuesday - 0700-1900 Wednesday - off Thursday - off Friday - 0800-1600 or 1100-1900 Saturday - 0700-1900 Sunday - 0700-1900 Monday - OFF Tuesday - OFF Wednesday - 0700-1900 Thursday - 0700-1900 Friday - OFF Saturday - OFF Sunday - OFF |
#12
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We work 12 hour shifts and the way we work is 4 shifts. 2 days on 2 days off, 12 hour shifts. It's great and each pay period (every other week) we always get 8 hours overtime in our paychecks. Basically we work 7 days in a 2 week period. |
C. L.
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This shift is not compliant with FLSA for Communications Officers. We are not classified the same as police officers/firefighters. We work 3 12 hour days and a 6 hour day (the department does not mind paying each person 2 hours of overtime per week as long as the coverage is there). Day #1: works 0600-1800 Sat, Sun, Mon and 0600-1200 on Tues Night #1: works 1800-0600 Sat night, Sun night, Mon night and 1800-2400 Tues night Day #2: works 1200-1800 Tues, 0600-1800 Wed, Thurs, Fri Night #2: works 2400-0600 Wed morning, 1800-0600 Wed night, Thurs night, Fri night |
Mark
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I worked a center that operated as follows; Start Friday night 4 Nights (6p-6a)FSSM, off 3 TWTh, 3 Days (6a-6p)FSS, off 1 M, 3 Nights (6p-6a)TWTh, off 3 FSS, 4 Days (6a-6p) MTWTh, off 7. You get 2 weekends off a month plus, you get a week off each month. I you need a longer vacation, take off the 4 nights after your 7 days off or the 4 days before your 7 days off. A whole 2 weeks and only use part of your vacation. Use 4 shifts; A, B, C, D. |
Bonner County
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Hello, We have 12 hour shift one week you work three days the other you work 4 basically we have two ends of the week sun-tue and thur-sat just rotate the wednesday for your four day week, and we have a cover shift that comes in at 10:00 or 14:00 as 12 hour shift as well. Now onthe four day week once the cover shift comes in then one position can take early day leaving at 13:00. Any questions feel free to email us This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
Regina Schulter
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Hello. We have 9 dispatchers and want to stay on 10's, however, our chief is now requiring double coverage 24/7. Does anyone have any schedules out there that could accomodate this or even a 12 hour shift one? Much Thanks Regina Schulter Burleson Pd Burleson, Tx |
running radar
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does anyone use 10 shifts? If so how do you do this. We have 6 dispatchers with 2 per shift. |
Jamie
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We work a 12 shift with three on and three off. LOVE IT!!!!! times are 05:30-17:30 17:30-05:30 and one swingshifter 10:30-22:30 with a rotation of two months of days one month of swing and two months of night. We all really like it no complaints here |
harttam
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We work the 4x12hour shifts, followed by 4 days off. 2 day shift, 2 nites shifts.. We have four platoons, A,B,C,D.. and you are assigned to one of them. We pick our leave in order of seniority, with guaranteed 2 blocks off in the summer. We also get 104 bank ours too book off and 130 hours of statuatory holiday time we can book off (because you work if your shift falls on a stat holiday. We have 14 people on a shift, and three people can be off at any time. Our minimum number according to regualtions is 9 people working, so if too many people call in sick there is overtime. |
Robbie
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Did you receive an answer to your question? I ask because we were working a 3/12, 4/12 schedule and our auditor told us we could no longer do that unless we were FSLA exempt. Unless your agency is recognized as "public safety" I was told you could not be exempt. Let me know what kind of answers you receive. I would appreciate it. |
Deril Stubenrod CTO, EMT-b
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C39, it's like having a week off given the fact that working only about 1/2 week in one week. Work four out of seven days at tweleve hours per day, and you have worked forty-eight hours. The pay-period and FLSA concerns are minimal. If your center runs on a weekly pay-period, then the OT and pay periods will run accordingly. Likewise, the payperiods and OT will be bi-weekly for two week pay schedules. Your HR or department finance clerk (depending on who holds the check book to pay personnel) can assist you with understanding these policies. If your department is a Union shop, then your chief steward can also help. I am the Union Steward at my shop and will also be glad to point you in the direction of some resources if you need me to. These resources are just some that I can think of off the top of my head. To all who dispare over the staffing delemia, fear not. This is not some huge elephant sitting in the middle of the room that no one can get around. This website has resources to address staffing / scheduling questions. There are other resources as well. When looking at scheduling, take a look at a few basic tips: 1) What is your center tasked for? Police Commincations, Fire, EMS, 911? 2) How many personnel are you looking to have on duty at one time? 3) How many shift-changes do you want to contend with? The last question sometimes gets a little overlooked. If your day shift comes on 0700, then I recommend having your communications shift come on either an hour before or an hour after the law enforcement shift change. If the law enforcement shifts are 8 hours, you might want to have your dispatchers work four, ten-hour shifts instead. The reason being is that I really do not recommend changing shifts at the same time as this opens potential risk management issues. Having a pursuit or a shots fired call when both dispatch and field officers are having shift change is an invitation to disaster. That's an extreme example, I know. But our line of work often sees the extreme in people and personality. Please let me know if there are other questions that any of you have. I am a frequent visitor to this website and will try to get questions answered promptly. |
C39
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Where is the break in the pay periods at? And even if it was divided I come up with 2 84 hour paychecks working off a 2 week schedule? And having practically a whole week off? I don't understand how this is even plausible, I would have to see the A, C and D schedules for it to make sense maybe. At my agency the 6 dispatchers work on rotation with the officers who have every other weekend off and work on an 80 hour pay period instead of 40 hr weeks. It makes sense that way and then you get real cohesion within the shift. |
Tim Dotson
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We also use a 3x12 and 1x4 schedule...you are off every other weekend and most of the dispatchers use "holiday" or "comp" time to take the 4 hour shift off every other weekend so they get an extra day off on those weeks. Everyone seems to like it and it is FLSA compliant. I really wanted to go to the more conventional 12 hr schedule as shown in the story, but couldn't get the overtime authorized. |
Deril Stubenrod CTO, EMT-b
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FLSA only becomes an issue when OT isn't handled properly. As long as your OT is payed out after 40 (if your department pays their personnel weekly) or paid out after 80 (if bi-weekly) you will be all set. Our department runs shifts from 0600-1800 with personnel working 2 on, 2 off and then 2 on - 3 off. This type of schedule allows personnel to have two, three day weekends each month. This website is a wealth of information on how to set up comm center staffing. If you have any questions I am sure the answer is here. We're all on the same team. We're here to help |
Mike D
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It isn't an issue of compliance with FLSA as long as they are paying for the accrued overtime hours at 1 1/2 times their regular rate (or comp equivalent). If they've attempted to establish an alternate workweek (like with 7k) this is a violation of the FLSA. The employer is liable for back overtime. Employment contracts cannot be used to "negotiate away" the employee's claim to overtime under the FLSA, even if the employee agrees to do it. |
Audrey
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I'm not sure which schedule u are looking at, but the one we work is 4/12 hr days off 7 return on weds night and work 4/12 hr nights off 3 days, work 3/12 hr days, off 1, work 3/12 hr nights off 3 and go again. this is 36 hours in one week then 48 in the next. We pay overtime for 16 hours per month. Ther e are other ways to take care of problem, having dispatch take 1 hour lunches and come in 10 minutes early for "line up". This still generates a small amount of ot but I think it was about 1.5 hours every 2 weeks. Some centers take 30 min breaks in the 36 hour week and 1 hour lunches in the 48 hour week. Pretty confusing, huh? As long as your agency pays the OT over 40 per week then should be in compliance. Sorry I know this is not much help. |
Melinda Chynoweth
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We work 12 hours shifts from 6a to 6p on 2 week pay period. Our night shift works a 4 on/3 off - 3 on /4 off rotation and days works a 2-2-3 rotation. Day shift's pay period runs from noon on Saturday to noon on Saturday. Night shift's pay period runs from midnight Sunday to midnight Sunday. Both of these give us 42 hours per week. The 2 hours are given to us as either paid overtime or we can roll them in to comp time at the time and a half rate but not to exceed 40 total hours. |
Rebecca Jaramillo
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A while back, a department I worked for switched to 12 hr shifts. The hours were the same as the other shift posted; 0600-1800, and 1800-0600. Our payroll ran on a bi-weekly basis, so we worked a three day week, then a four day week with a half day(6hrs). The first week was only 36 hours, but the second week was 42 hours. After paying the 2 hours of overtime, it equals 39 hours for the two week pay period. Days off were Sun-Tues or Wed-Fri with everyone working every other Saturday. We are also trying it at a smaller department where I work now. We only have 6 dispatchers now and we were toying with the idea of having a 0600-1800, 1200-0000, and 1800-0600 shift. The days off would be the same as before and there would still be a half day. |
Lt. G. Lanier
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We "stole" a 12 hr shift from another agency and made some changes. Our shifts are 3-12 hr days (0600-1800 and 1800-0600) and 1-4hr day to equal 40 hrs a week. The RDOs are either SMT or ThFS with a 3/4 day each wednesday (everybody works 4 hrs that day with OT covering any open hours. This schedule fit our contract which required 40 hrs a week and according to our HR boss, meets FLSA standards. So far everyone seems to like the shift and it cut OT somewhat. |
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