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Submitting PTO requests for no work available - Why

Posted: Aug 30, 2012

My manager is always sending out emails that we are required to submit a PTO request (pain or unpaid) for situations when there is no work available in order to account for all of our hours. I don't understand why we need to do this. I put no studies available on my time card when I clock out when I run out of work. I'm not asking for time off and so don't see why I should have to put in a request for time off when there is no work. I would be more than happy to work during these times if there was work avaiilable to me.

If we put in a PTO request, does that affect our ability to file for partial unemployment due to no work being available? Is that why they make us do this? Has anyone refused to submit the PTO request for time when there is no work available?

no work available - tired MT

[ In Reply To ..]
You do not need to use PTO for no work available. My TL sent us that e-mail a long time ago. You submit an e-mail with no work in it and after 15 minutes you can consider yourself excused from what I understand. You can try to make up the time another time, but you do not need to use PTO.

PTO for no wrok - Why

[ In Reply To ..]
My manager will not approve our time cards unless we submit a PTO request (paid or unpaid) if we are short on hours due to no work. I just don't get the reasoning behind this and if we can file for partial UE if we submit the PTO request (because then it looks like we asked to take time off when we in fact did not).

oops that should be work (nm) - Why

[ In Reply To ..]
x

Engaged to wait - ;-)

[ In Reply To ..]
How about asking your manager for an explanation as to why you are not considered to be and employee "engaged to wait" according to guidelines of the Dept. of Labor Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA). That is considered "hours worked."

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs22.htm

"Waiting Time: Whether waiting time is hours worked under the Act depends upon the particular circumstances. Generally, the facts may show that the employee was engaged to wait (which is work time) or the facts may show that the employee was waiting to be engaged (which is not work time). For example, a secretary who reads a book while waiting for dictation or a fireman who plays checkers while waiting for an alarm is working during such periods of inactivity. These employees have been "engaged to wait."

More info: In Skidmore v. Swift & Co. (1944), the United States Supreme Court classified an employee as either â��engaged to waitâ�� or â��waiting to be engagedâ��. An employee who is required to stay very close to the workplace in time and distance, and has very little freedom to use the time as their own is â��engaged to waitâ�� and the time is classified as work time for compensation purposes. If the employee has only minimal restrictions on the use of their time while on call, and has a fair amount of time to respond to the call, they are â��waiting to be engagedâ�� and the on call time is not hours worked for compensation purposes.

Very good find! - Excellent!

[ In Reply To ..]
xx

No work/PTO - PTO

[ In Reply To ..]
You need to go the client forms library and listen to the roundtable from last month or the one before. We were specifically told by HR what to do regarding no work including checking back and whether it is required to submit for PTO.

Once you have listened to it, you can refer your supervisor to it.

Huh? - That does not sound right at all-get clarification

[ In Reply To ..]
That's interesting. So when did these TLs get the okay to make their own rules? I'm under the assumption that you have to send an email to the production loop for the particular account you work on.

That does not sound right at all and if I were you I'd tell her to get with her operations manager for clarification. Wasn't there a recording from HR about this too not too long ago.

I would not do this at all until you get clear clarification, FYI.

Thanks - Why

[ In Reply To ..]
I did listen to the recording and understand the official procedure now, which doesn't seem to include submitting PTO requests. I don't even know who our operations manager is anymore.

I would not use PTO for out of work. - RC

[ In Reply To ..]
That's just wrong. If your TM says she won't approve the time card, go over her head.

In fact, I'd stay clocked in... - RC

[ In Reply To ..]
If they need you to meet your minimum hours, just stay clocked in. They can pay you minimum wage for those hours when you don't have work.

God, I hate this company.

I always stay clocked in. except for lunch. :) - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
.

I tried that last pay - period

[ In Reply To ..]
to stay clocked in when I had no work and was given a scolding email how my times in escrption and times in webclock did not match. Then was told that if I run out of work, there is plenty of work overnight or on the weekends to make it up, so there is no excuse. I have a life and it doesn't entail being chained to my computer when the work is going to finally be there. We are contracted for said hours, the work should be there for those hours. Perhaps they shouldn't send it overseas. I refuse to do overtime work on the weekends, b/c for me, it is then working 7 days a week. I have to sign in and follow procedure and keep checking for work when I run out throughout my entire shift and then sign in and work on the evenings or weekends when there is more work....which equates to no days off. Anybody else want to work every day of the week in this low paying, unappreciative job? I did it b/c i needed the money and became a really stressed out MT with no time at all for my family and it really wasn't worth it in the long run..and working the OT hours, you don't get OT pay unless you are able to meet all your hours during the week and when you can't do that, you are just working straight time.

If you listen to the HR roundtable from July - Why

[ In Reply To ..]
that is really helpful and explains the official policy regarding out of work situations. She clearly states that you do NOT have to make up time if you are short due to no work. You are supposed to send an email to your supervisor letting he/she know you are out of work and wait 15 minutes for a response. If you don't get work or a response in 15 minutes, you are NOT required to keep checking back in throughout your shift. You are encouraged to check back in periodically or flex your time but are NOT required to do so. The problem is the disconnect between HR and our managers. We'll see how that battle goes, I guess.

The HR person said that the shortage of work was due to lost accounts or hospitals changing the way they do business with us and utilizing the follow-the-sun model (sending work to India during the evening/night).

PTO requests - new but old

[ In Reply To ..]
I received an email similar to that a few weeks back but it was not mandatory and I was given the option of making up 2 hours due to no work which I did not take. I would have made up the 2 hours but it occurred so late in the pay period and there was no work there then either so I just didn't do it but it is not mandatory at all from my understanding.

Using YOUR PTO for no work is illegal. - nuancemt

[ In Reply To ..]
I checked with an attorney in the Tampa area. I am scheduled certain hours. If there is no work during that time, I stay clocked in. At the end of my week, if I have not made at least minimum wage, guess what - they have to make up the difference to bring me to minimum wage for the week.

Yes, that's not a lot of money but I have a 2nd job part-time on the side so I come out pretty damn good.

usng your PTO - new but old

[ In Reply To ..]
Do they not say anything to you about your LPH? Or is it still above the 187 LPH once it averages out. I know I have sat there before and just waited until work shows up but that cuts into obviously how much you are typing and I got a letter last week saying my LPH was at just a few off and I needed to bring it up - I know this is the reason why

No work and staying clocked in - Confused

[ In Reply To ..]
I was staying clocked in for awhile while waiting for more work and then I got put on their MUP pay list. I got an email saying this had to be eliminated in the next pay period. Now I clock out the minute I run out of work so it won't bring my LPH down too far waiting for work and they won't have to supplement my pay.

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