Low Census/Low Need Sample Clauses

Low Census/Low Need. During a period of temporary low census or low need, the Employer will seek out volunteers to take time off or float to other areas if the need exists before determining and implementing the reduced staffing schedule required within a job classification. In the event there are no volunteers, the Employer will endeavor to rotate low census equitably among all employees, starting with the least senior employee first, providing skill, competence, ability and availability are considered equal as determined by the Employer and patient care needs requiring specific skill level are retained. Where unanticipated low census occurs in the inpatient facility, Tacoma, Bellevue, Capitol Hill ambulatory surgery units, Bellevue and Capitol Hill Shared Procedures Units, or Home Health and Hospice, the following steps will be taken in the order below:

Low Census/Low Need. During a period of temporary low census or low need, the Employer will seek out volunteers to take time off before determining and implementing the reduced staffing schedule required. When not enough volunteers are available, the necessary involuntary staff reduction will be scheduled off on a seniority basis by department or facility, classification and shift, providing the skill, competence and ability of employees within that facility are substantially equal. Temporary employees will not be employed when a regular employee subject to low census/low need is qualified to perform the work of the temporary employee. Prior to any, involuntary staff reduction during a period of temporary low census or low need, the Employer will use its best efforts to find alternative work at that location for the affected employees.

Low Census/Low Need. During a temporary period of low census or low need, the Hospital will seek out volunteers to take time off before determining and implementing the reduced staffing schedule required. When there are insufficient volunteers reduced staffing shall be applied in the following order: (1) agency employees, (2) scheduled overtime, (3) per diem employees, and (4) full-time and part-time employees scheduled by seniority rotation, within the department, job classification and shift for those employees working on the affected shift, providing the remaining employees are qualified to perform the required work. Volunteer days off will be counted for purposes of rotation. The rotation documentation will be worked out by mutual agreement within each department. Hours lost to low census will not affect Paid Time Off or sick leave accrual. Employees on a temporarily reduced schedule as a result of low census have the option of using paid time off for the time that they are on a temporarily reduced schedule, but may not use sick hours for such time unless the time is utilized for activities that qualify for Sick Leave usage (see Article 12.2).