Section 3. In the selection of primetime vacation, bargaining unit seniority shall prevail within the title and on the shift. Shifts are defined as day, evening, and night. Shifts will be determined by the majority of hours on one (1) of these shifts. However, if an employee works an equal number of hours on two (2) shifts, the employee’s shift will be the starting shift. Primetime vacation is designated as June 15 through September 15. No employee may take more than three weeks (two of which may be consecutive) vacation during primetime unless no other employee on his/her shift desires to take the time in question. The Employer shall post a prime-time vacation selection sheet no later than March 1 of each year, and employees within each title and on each shift shall have the right to indicate their preference for primetime vacation. The list will be taken down by March 31 of each year.
The Employer will notify employees in writing by April 15th that their vacation request has been approved or denied. If their request has been denied, the employee will submit his/her second choice within seven (7) calendar days of the denial. A final vacation schedule will be posted by the Hospital by April 30. Employees, who do not sign the prime-time vacation selection sheet by March 31, must submit, in writing, their request for primetime vacation. These requests shall be handled on a first-come, first-serve basis, and the Employer shall respond to these requests in writing. Subsequent to the posting period, when an employee’s first choice is not granted, the Hospital will tell the employee what is available within her/his department.
Employees requesting single or multiple days (less than a week) off shall not be arbitrarily or capriciously denied the time off. All vacation requests, including requests for primetime, non-primetime, and holiday are subject to the approval of the Departmental Manager.
