Purpose Statement

The shift trade management feature enables supervisors and administrators to review, evaluate, and process shift trade requests submitted by personnel. This streamlined approval workflow ensures that all shift exchanges maintain proper staffing levels, comply with departmental policies, and preserve accurate scheduling records. By centralizing trade request management, supervisors can make informed decisions while maintaining full visibility into personnel assignments and rotation schedules.

Background Information

Shift trades are a common necessity in fire and EMS operations, allowing personnel to accommodate personal obligations, emergencies, and work-life balance needs while maintaining continuous operational readiness. The shift trade review system provides a structured process for managing these requests, replacing informal or paper-based trade arrangements with a documented, auditable workflow.

This feature supports both standard shift trades (where one person covers another's shift) and reciprocal trades (where two personnel exchange shifts on different dates). All trade requests flow through the Review interface, where authorized personnel can examine trade details, verify staffing requirements, and approve or deny requests based on operational needs and departmental policies.

Common Use Cases:

• Processing routine shift trade requests between qualified personnel
• Reviewing reciprocal trade arrangements for fairness and compliance
• Verifying that trades maintain minimum staffing requirements
• Ensuring trades comply with FLSA overtime regulations and collective bargaining agreements
• Maintaining accurate records of all shift exchanges for payroll and scheduling purposes

Required Permissions

To review and manage shift trade requests, users must have the following permissions enabled in their First Due user role:

Required:

• Acess Scheduling
  
• Access Shift Trades
  
• Scheduling - Trades - Admin Routing Approval

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Access the Shift Trade Review Interface

Navigate to Scheduling > Shift Trades from the main menu. Click on the Review tab to access all pending trade requests and trades requiring management action.

       

 

Step 2: Review Pending Trade Requests

The Review interface displays all pending trade requests in a centralized queue. You will see both standard trades and reciprocal trades awaiting your decision. Each trade request shows basic information including the personnel involved, dates, and current status.

Step 3: Examine Trade Details

Before making an approval decision, click Details on any trade request to view comprehensive information about the proposed exchange. This detailed view is essential for making informed management decisions.

Step 4: Verify Trade Information

Review the following critical details presented in the expanded view:

• Trade Date: The specific date or dates when the shift exchange will occur
• Duration: The length of the shift being traded (e.g., 24 hours, 48 hours)
• Rotation: The rotation schedule involved in the trade (e.g., A-Shift, B-Shift, C-Shift)
• Assignment: The specific assignment or apparatus position being traded (e.g., Engine 1, Medic 3, Battalion Chief)
• Trading Personnel: Both the person requesting the trade and the person who will cover the shift
  

Step 5: Understand Reciprocal Trade Requirements

For reciprocal trades, you will see two dates displayed in the details view:

• Date 1: When Person A will work Person B's shift
• Date 2: When Person B will work Person A's shift

Step 6: Make Your Management Decision

After thoroughly reviewing all trade details and confirming the trade meets departmental requirements, click either Approve or Deny based on your decision:

• Approve: The trade will be processed, schedule assignments will be updated automatically, and both personnel will receive notification of the approved trade
• Deny: The trade request will be rejected, schedules will remain unchanged, and the requesting personnel will be notified that their trade was not approved

If denying a trade request, consider documenting your reason in the system notes or communicating directly with the personnel involved. Common denial reasons include staffing shortages, qualification mismatches, policy violations, or conflicts with other approved time-off requests.

Best Practices

Timely Review and Response

• Review pending trade requests promptly to give personnel adequate notice for their planning
• Set expectations with your team about typical approval timeframes (e.g., within 24-48 hours)
• Process urgent trade requests (medical emergencies, family situations) as priority items

Verification and Compliance

• Always verify that both personnel are qualified for the assignments being traded
• Confirm that trades don't create FLSA overtime violations or exceed maximum hour limitations
• Check that trades maintain minimum staffing requirements for each shift and apparatus
• Ensure trades comply with collective bargaining agreement provisions regarding shift exchanges

Documentation Standards

• Use the Details view for every trade request before approving—never approve based on summary information alone
• For reciprocal trades, verify that both dates are reasonable and won't create scheduling conflicts
• Document any conditional approvals or special considerations in system notes

Communication Guidelines

• Establish clear department policies about allowable trade timeframes (e.g., no trades within 24 hours of shift start)
• Communicate denial reasons clearly to maintain transparency and trust
• Encourage personnel to submit trade requests well in advance of needed dates

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Approving trades without verifying qualification requirements for specialized positions
• Failing to check for conflicts with already-approved time-off requests
• Approving reciprocal trades where dates create unbalanced overtime distribution
• Processing trades that violate minimum staffing levels or safety regulations
• Approving trades that exceed maximum consecutive work hour policies

Efficiency Tips

• Batch-review multiple trade requests during designated administrative times
• Use filtering options (if available) to prioritize urgent or time-sensitive requests
• Create a checklist of verification items to review consistently for each trade request
• Train backup supervisors on trade management procedures to ensure continuous coverage

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: What should I do if a trade request appears but the Details button doesn't show full information?

A: This typically indicates a system loading issue or incomplete trade submission. Refresh the page and attempt to access the details again. If the problem persists, verify that the trade request was fully submitted by the requesting personnel, or contact First Due support for technical assistance.

Q: Can I approve a trade if one of the personnel doesn't have the exact certification for the assignment?

A: This is up to your departments policy.

Q: How do I handle a reciprocal trade where the dates are months apart?

A: Reciprocal trades with significant time separation between dates are permissible if they comply with your department policies. However, consider the risk that circumstances may change between the two dates (personnel transfers, extended leave, etc.). Some departments limit reciprocal trade date ranges to 60-90 days to minimize complications. Verify your department's policy and use your discretion based on operational needs.

Q: What happens to approved trades if one of the personnel calls out sick on the trade date?

A: The person scheduled to work the shift (after the trade is approved) is responsible for that shift. If they call out sick, it's treated as a standard sick call from that position. The trade has already been processed, so the absence falls on whoever is scheduled post-trade. Document this clearly in your sick call procedures.

Q: Can I partially approve a reciprocal trade (approve one date but not the other)?

A: No. Reciprocal trades are submitted as a single request for both dates, and must be approved or denied in their entirety. If only one portion of a reciprocal trade is acceptable, deny the request and communicate with the personnel about submitting separate standard trade requests instead.

Q: Where can I see a history of approved and denied trades for reporting purposes?

A: Navigate to Scheduling > Shift Trades and use the filtering or history options to view past trade activity. This creates an audit trail for compliance documentation and helps identify trade patterns that may indicate scheduling issues or personnel needs.