Vacation Scheduling Procedure

GROUND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Effective: 10/1/06
Hub: ILN/ILH

Overview

The company wants to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to use vacation at the time best suited to their personal needs. However, the Ground Department also needs to maintain a well-staffed department for operational necessity. In order to balance the needs of the company as well as those of the employee, the Ground Department has established the following procedures to offer everyone a fair and consistent opportunity for scheduling vacations.

Core Requirements

The annual vacation scheduling process normally will occur in the fall for the following year.

Vacation requests during the annual process are granted by company seniority in each work group.

Employees will submit their vacation request forms to their supervisors.

Up to five (5) days may be broken down into single-day requests. One additional week may be broken into single day requests for employees with three (3), four (4), and five (5) weeks vacation (but those days cannot be scheduled during the vacation bidding process).

All other requests are to be scheduled in one-week blocks.

	After the annual awards are completed, vacation requests will be awarded on a first-come/ first -served basis. In all cases, management will determine how many employees can be awarded time off at the same time.
	Vacation requests should be made in advance if at all possible to optimize your chance of having it granted.
	Normally, Ground management can grant up to ten percent (10%) of work group to be off per supervisor, including supervisors and leads, on the same day. Additional requests will be considered on an individual basis and must be approved by an area manager.
	Based on the nature of our business, vacations normally are not granted in the Ground Department during Thanksgiving week or the two (2) weeks prior to Dec. 25. Vacation scheduling also may be limited during other peak periods.
	Employees transferring to another area with a new supervisor will be granted his or her previously awarded vacation dates if at all possible.

Working Vacations

	Employees throughout the company, including the Ground Department, may elect to take vacation and work in the Sort Operations to help support our customer’s goals.
	Employees electing this option will be required to use their volunteer badges during those days.
	The working vacation must be approved through your supervisor.
	Approval of a working vacation will be a departmental decision based on the needs of that department.

Employee Responsibility

	Employees are responsible for submitting vacation request forms to their supervisors in a timely manner. Vacation requests must be submitted no less than one (1) operational day prior to date requested.
	Employees who have been awarded scheduled vacation days may give up the awarded dates with advance notice. Employees are asked to be considerate of their fellow co-workers by adhering to the awarded schedule as much as possible.

Leadership Responsibility

	Make employees aware of the procedure.
	Communicate with employees in a timely manner regarding their vacation requests that have been granted or denied.
	Apply and communicate departmental guidelines consistently.
	Monitor workload and operational requirements to determine priorities when granting vacations.
	Discuss special circumstances with the next level of management.
	Maintain accurate and timely vacation records.