Reduced Workload/Low Census Days. Reduced workload/low census is defined as a department’s reduced workload or decline in patient care requirements resulting in a temporary decrease in staff. During periods of reduced workload/low census, the Employer will first ask for volunteers to take time off before determining and implementing the reduced staffing schedule required. In the event there are no volunteers, the Employer will endeavor to rotate reduced workload/low census equitably among employees assigned to each unit (or functional work area) by shift, subject to skill, competence, ability and availability as determined by the Employer. If an individual volunteers to take a reduced workload/low census day off, that day off shall be counted for purposes of the rotation list. Employees who are subject to reduced workload/low census may use accrued PTO and such time off will count in the reduced workload/low census rotation. The Employer will attempt to make floating opportunities available to employees subject to reduced workload/low census. Subject to patient care or operational considerations, temporary, Travelers, and per diem employees will not normally be utilized on a unit and shift where regular employees are subject to reduced workload/low census. Reduced workload/low census days shall not alter an employee's anniversary date or accrual of benefits. With the exception of OB, OR and Imaging nurses, employees required to take a reduced workload/low census day will not be required to be on call for all or part of the shift for which they were scheduled. OB, OR, and Imaging nurses may be placed on call for all (or some other Hospital-designated portion) of their shift for which they were scheduled. The Employer will endeavor to give employees who have not yet reported to work at least one (1) hour's notice of impending reduced workload/low census days.
Reduced Workload/Low Census Days. Low census is defined as a decline in patient care requirements or workload in a particular department resulting in a temporary staff decrease and/or department/unit closure on a non-designated Employer holiday. Prior to implementing the low census procedure within a job classification, the Employer will request volunteers to float to other areas of the Hospital if the need exists. During temporary periods of low census, the Employer will first ask for volunteers within the job classification to take time off before determining and implementing the reduced staffing schedule required. In the event there are no volunteers, the Employer will rotate low census equitably with the objective of assigning low census to the employee with the least number of low- census hours taken per shift subject to availability. The Employer reserves the right to adjust the order of mandatory low-census based on the Employer's assessment as to operational and patient care needs and staffing requirements of the department. During temporary periods of mandatory low census, employees within a job classification in a department and on a shift will be released from work in the following order, providing skills, competence, and ability are considered substantially equal as determined by the Employer:
