Purpose Statement

The Call Shift Hours Settings feature allows administrators to control how call shift hours are calculated, assigned, and tracked within the scheduling system. This configuration determines when hours are credited to personnel rankings lists and provides flexibility in managing different qualifier types and their associated hour values. By properly configuring these settings, departments can ensure fair and accurate distribution of call shift assignments based on established operational rules.

Background Information

Call shift hours tracking is a critical component of fair scheduling practices in fire and EMS departments. The Hours Settings feature provides granular control over when hours are assigned (either when scheduled or when worked), how they accumulate over time, and how different qualifier types (certifications, positions, apparatus assignments) affect hour calculations. This configuration directly impacts ranking lists used for automatic call shift assignments, ensuring that personnel with fewer accumulated hours receive priority for future shifts. The system supports both fixed hour amounts and range-based calculations, accommodating various departmental policies and union agreements. Proper configuration of these settings is essential before implementing automated call shift scheduling to prevent inequitable distribution of additional work opportunities.

Required Permissions

To configure Call Shift Hours Settings, users must have:

• Access Scheduling 
  
• Access Setup 
  

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Call Shift Hours Settings

1. Navigate to Scheduling in the main navigation menu.

2. Select Setup from the Scheduling submenu.

3. Click on Call Shift Rules in the Setup options.

4. Select Hours Settings to access the configuration panel.
   

Configuring When Hours Are Assigned

5. In the Hours Settings panel, review the "Call Shift Hours" section. You have two options:
   

6. Option A: The Day Off 

   • Selecting this option assigns hours to the personnel's ranking count on the actual date of the Work Shift
   • Use this method when tracking hours based on when work is performed
   • This is the most common configuration for departments tracking actual worked hours

   Option B: When Added 

   • Selecting this option assigns hours immediately when a person is scheduled for a Work Shift
   • Use this method when tracking scheduled commitments rather than worked hours
   • This prevents manipulation of rankings by accepting shifts far in advance
     

NOTE: This only affects Work Types that dump into Call Shift ranking lists. 

5. Determine whether to enable "Keep counting from previous qualifiers":

   • When enabled, the system continues accumulating hours even if personnel qualifications change
   • When disabled, the hour count resets when the qualifiers are modified
   • This setting is important for departments where certifications or position assignments change frequently
     

1. Determine if you want to "Allow the Work Types to be Specific per Call Shift Rule"
   
1. This will allow for a specific work type to only dump into certain Call Shift Rules
   
2. This is beneficial if certain work-types may affect certain Call Shift Rules
   

Adding Time Rules for Qualifiers

7. Click the Add Time Rule button to create a new hour calculation rule.

8. In the Time Rule configuration window, select the Call Shift Rule that will be affected by this configuration.

9. Configure the Real Hours setting:

   Fixed Hours Option:

   • Select "Fixed" if every occurrence of this qualifier should count the same number of hours
   • Enter the specific hour amount (e.g., "12" for a 12-hour shift)
   • This is ideal for standardized shift lengths
     

7. Range Option:

   • Select "Range" if the actual shift duration may vary
   • Enter the minimum and maximum hour values
   • The system will use the actual worked hours within this range
   • This accommodates flexible or on-call assignments
     

7. Set the Charged Amount:

   • Enter the number of hours that will be adjusted on the personnel's ranking list
   • This value may differ from the "Real Hours" for strategic ranking management
   • Example: A 12-hour shift might only charge 10 hours to the ranking to account for training time
   • Higher charged amounts move personnel lower in the ranking list more quickly
     

7. Click Save to activate the time rule.
   

7. Repeat steps 7-11 to create additional time rules for other Call Shift Rules as needed.
   

Best Practices

Configuration Strategy:

• Review your department's call shift policies and union agreements before configuring hour settings to ensure compliance with established rules
• Test your configuration with a small pilot group before rolling out to the entire department
• Document your hour assignment logic and charged amounts for transparency and future reference

Time Rule Design:

• Create separate time rules for each qualifier type that has different hour requirements (e.g., ALS vs. BLS, Officer vs. Firefighter)
• Use fixed hours for standardized shifts to maintain consistency in rankings
• Use range settings only when shift durations genuinely vary, as this requires accurate time tracking

Charged Amount Considerations:

• Keep charged amounts consistent with real hours unless there's a specific policy reason to adjust them
• If differentiating charged amounts from real hours, document the rationale clearly
• Consider using slightly lower charged amounts for training shifts or special assignments to incentivize participation

Ranking Fairness:

• Enable "Keep counting from previous qualifiers" if personnel frequently gain new certifications to prevent unfair advantage
• Disable this option if you want to prioritize newly qualified personnel for specific assignments
• Regularly audit ranking lists to ensure the hour accumulation is working as intended

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Don't create conflicting time rules for overlapping qualifiers (e.g., both "Paramedic" and "ALS Provider" for the same personnel)
• Avoid setting charged amounts significantly different from real hours without clear policy justification
• Don't change configuration mid-cycle without communicating to affected personnel

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Hours aren't being assigned to personnel rankings lists. What's wrong?

A: Verify that: (1) You've created at least one time rule with appropriate qualifiers, (2) The affected personnel actually have the qualifiers specified in your time rules, (3) You've selected either "Day Off" or "When Added" for hour assignment timing. If all these are correct, check that the personnel have permission to view and be assigned to call shifts.

Q: What's the difference between Real Hours and Charged Amount?

A: Real Hours represents the actual duration of the shift or assignment. Charged Amount is the value adjusted on the ranking list. These are often the same, but may differ if your department has policies to weight certain types of shifts differently (e.g., charging less for training shifts to encourage participation).

Q: Can I have different charged amounts for the same qualifier based on shift length?

A: Not directly. Each qualifier can have one time rule. If you need different hour treatments, create separate qualifiers (e.g., "12-Hour Call Shift" vs. "24-Hour Call Shift") and assign them accordingly when creating shifts.

Q: What happens if a person has multiple qualifiers that all have time rules?

A: The system will apply the time rule associated with the qualifier specifically assigned to that call shift position. When creating a call shift, you select which qualifier is required—that qualifier's time rule determines the hour calculation.

Q: Should I enable "Keep counting from previous qualifiers"?

A: Enable this if you want continuous hour tracking regardless of qualification changes. This prevents someone from resetting their hour count by gaining a new certification. Disable this if you want to give preference to newly qualified personnel for specific assignments by starting their count fresh.

Q: Rankings aren't updating correctly after configuring time rules. What should I check?

A: Time rules only affect future assignments. Check: (1) Whether you're using "Day Off" assignment (hours won't appear until the shift date), (2) If personnel actually worked or were added to shifts after the time rule was created, (3) That the qualifier on the time rule matches the qualifier assigned to the shift position.

Q: Can I modify time rules after they've been in use?

A: Yes, but changes only affect future shift assignments. Previously accumulated hours based on the old rule will not be recalculated. If you need to adjust historical data, contact your system administrator to discuss manual adjustment options.