CWA Local 3682
Last update
Tuesday July 22, 2008 04:49 AM -0600
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CWA Local 3682
Last update
Tuesday July 22, 2008 04:49 AM -0600 |
|
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Technician Paid Time Off (PTO) Tool Questions & Answers
The Technician Paid Time-Off (PTO) Selection Tool is being created to enable one single web-based location for all Network Services Technician paid time off to be selected and retained. All Technicians reporting through Kevin McCarter or Pat Stutzman’s organization are included within this initiative regardless of their affiliation with a specific Dispatch System. This approach is intended to replicate the previously used PAPER-BASED Calendar selection process to a web-based solution.
This process change will NOT alter or combine the number of PTO ‘books’ maintained by the field in a given area. In fact, great care was taken to work with field supervisors to inventory all past practices and labor agreement rules about PTO selection so that the number of PTO ‘books’ and which workgroups had shared or multiple ‘books’ will be exactly replicated in the new tool.
The Technician Paid Time-Off (PTO) Selection Tool and the processes associated with this tool support all existing labor agreements. Technicians should not be selecting PTO using the tool on their own time, but instead, as in past years, use the web-based solution just like they would use a paper calendar during working hours to select their PTO time.
The initial release of the Paid Time-Off (PTO) Selection Tool will require Network Services Supervisors to remain responsible for certain aspects of their Technician’s PTO selection process such as seniority and the number of days/weeks chosen during each round of the selection process. Once the initial PTO selection is complete and the annual PTO schedule posted, the tool will be used to manage PTO changes during 2008. There are some labor agreements that require local supervisor approval to change or add new PTO days within a certain window of time (e.g., a 24 hour or 5 day window). To support those specific contractual requirements, the workgroups affected will have certain additional features to support these rules within the tool.
Training for the tool will be available to all Field Supervisors and Technicians in early September. Please review the information on the following pages to address frequently asked questions. Please notify your supervisor if you have additional questions that need to be addressed.
Q1: Since the Tool will not be available until September 15, what will the process be for areas that begin their PTO Selection Process September 1? A1: Workgroups that are required by labor agreement to begin the PTO Selection process on September 1 have been identified. Field supervisors in these areas will follow their current paper-based process, along with the supplied targeted number of hours available for selecting PTO, and will synchronize the paper copies with the tool’s web-based views. Once the Tool becomes available, Supervisors will enter employee selections into the tool.
Q2: Will the tool prevent a Technician from selecting PTO prior to the opening of the PTO Selection Process? A2: Yes. The Web-Application will determine when the PTO selection process is open/begins based on established contractual language or local practice governing when PTO selection process begins. If a Technician accesses the tool prior to this date, it will prevent him/her from making a selection.
Q3: Will the tool manage the specified closing date of the PTO Selection Process? A3: No. The closing or “end” date for the PTO selection process will be managed by the local supervisor.
Q4: Will the system manage a waiting list for days that become available for PTO in their workgroup? A4: No. Technicians and Supervisors will have access to the Tool at any time to view PTO availability. Current rules and practices for selecting days on a first come; first serve basis will remain unchanged.
Q5: Will supervisors need to be involved in approving PTO selections? A5: No, if the day/hours/weeks are available for selection in the PTO selection tool, the Technician simply selects the hours. In addition, Technician can print out copies of their selected PTO from the web-based tool to retain for their own use.
Q6: What if a Technician needs to use PTO time on any given day? A6: The Technician must call to both the Supervisor and the Dispatch Center to inform them of the absence and indicate if he/she plans to use PTO time. If the Technician cannot access the tool at the time the decision is made, the Dispatch Center will update the PTO Selection Tool. If the Technician’s PTO balance is negative, either the Technician or the Center must de-select another PTO day in exchange for the day being used. The tool itself does not determine whether an individual PTO day is excused or unexcused, the current labor agreements and related time reporting procedures are not impacted by this new process.
Q7: What if the hours on a particular week or day a Technician wants to select are not available? A7: Moving the current paper-based process to a new web-based PTO Selection Tool will not change the fact that not every Technician will get his/her first choice in weeks/day for PTO. Business needs will dictate the number of available slots or hours that technicians can select for PTO on any given day.
Q8: Will seniority in the PTO selection process be managed by the PTO Selection Tool? A8: No. Supervisors will print the seniority order for selecting PTO. They will ensure that the Technicians abide by labor agreement provisions for the order of selection.
Q9: Will selection “rounds” (i.e. First round = 2 full weeks) be managed systematically? A9: No. Supervision will ensure that PTO selection is handled as it has been in the past.
Q10: How will the system manage contractual language around weeks that must be taken prior to March 31st? A10: The Supervisor will review PTO selections and ensure PTO is taken according to these deadlines.
Q11: How much time does each Technician have to make their PTO Selections in the web-based tool? A11: Time restriction will not change from the current practice in each work group. The Supervisor will ensure Technicians are making their selections according to timelines established by current practice and/or contractual language.
Q12: How will a Technician who returns from a scheduled PTO period early be handled in this tool? A12: If a tech returns to work early from a scheduled PTO period, he/she will need to access the PTO Selection Tool and update their selections to reflect the changes and notify both the Supervisor and Dispatch Center.
Q13: What if a Technician does not take previously scheduled PTO days and forgets to update they PTO Selection Tool? Can an update be made the following day within the Tool? A13: Updates to previous PTO days will need to be called into the Dispatch Center. Once the Dispatch Center updates the PTO Selection Tool by removing the PTO day, the hours are added back to the Technician’s total available hours.
Q14: If a Technician has carryover PTO hours from the previous year how does that get added into the available PTO time available for selection? A14: Supervision will notify the Dispatch Center and they will update the Technician’s available hours in the PTO Selection Tool.
Q15: Some Technicians have Personal Holiday, imbedded PTO, and/or floater allowances in addition to regular PTO. Will these be reflected in the tool? A15: The total hours available to the Technician should be reflected in the PTO Selection Tool. If, upon logging into the system the first time, a Technician does not believe all of his/her earned hours are reflected in the PTO Selection Tool, they should notify his/her supervisor immediately.
Q16: Does using this tool mean Technicians will not have to go to Web-Time to ensure that my PTO time is coded correctly in Payroll records? A16: No. The PTO Selection Tool will not synch with Web-Time or HRSS. The process for ensuring the Technician’s time is loaded to payroll will remain the same as it is today. Technicians are responsible for ensuring that any time away from work is appropriately accounted for in payroll records.
Q17: How will trades within the PTO Selection Tool be managed? A17: The rules for trades will not change from the paper-based system currently used. If labor agreements allow for trades between co-workers Technicians can access the PTO schedule and enter the trades themselves.
Q18: What if the Technician is not available and someone needs to select or enter the Technician’s PTO for him? A18: The Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the ‘order of selection’ is managed appropriately. In some instances that may require them to contact Technicians who are out of the office and obtain their PTO selections.
Q19: How will “24-hour” notice to management of PTO time be handled? A19: ONLY If the labor agreement for a workgroup requires a time-based notice to management (e.g, 24 hours or 5 days), then the PTO Selection Tool will be configured to suppor the labor agreement. This configuration only applies to those workgroups that have contractual language that calls for it. Any workgroup that does not have a requirement for notice to management, the technicians may change their selections without supervisor approval.
Q20: What if a Supervisor is aware of a particular event in the area and the availability for PTO selection needs to be adjusted (i.e. NASCAR Race in Martinsville, VA or Large Hotel Cutover in Las Vegas, NV)? A20: A supervisor may need to adjust PTO Selection Time still available in the tool that has not already been selected by a Technician and adjust accordingly by working with the Dispatch Center to update the tool. This process may enable additional hours away from work on a given day or reduce the number of hours available if the hours were not already selected by a technician. |