Social Sciences and Humanities Library

Social Sciences and Humanities Library
Policy Regarding Leave, Backups, & Jury Duty for Individuals Working the Reference Desk

Vacation/Conference/Workshop/Other Leave Requests

1. A master calendar for vacation, conference/workshop dates, and other leave requests (e.g., surgery) exists in Groupwise (the SSHL Master Calendar). Reference desk providers should send their requests to the Head of Reference in the form of a reminder note. The Head of Reference will approve it (when possible) and then delegate the request to the relevant supervisor. The supervisor will then approve (when possible) the request, send the reminder note to the SSHL master calendar, the sshl ref desk calendar, and cc the originator of the request, with the word approved in the end of the subject line. The requests are subject to sufficient desk coverage.

Sending the reminder note

· Open GroupWise.

· Go to the reminder note (file: new: reminder note)

· In the subject line, put your initials and the reason you will be out (vacation, ALA, LOEX, etc.)

· If you are asking for multiple days that are sequential, use autodate.

· Send to the reminder note to the head of reference

2. There will be 3 "gray-out times" when vacations may not normally be taken: ALA conventions, and during Welcome Week. If during the ALA Annual Conference (summer) there are not sufficient levels of staffing, we may alter our desk staffing or desk hours. We do not have this option during the ALA Midwinter Conference as school is in session during this conference.

3. Exceptions will always be considered. Conflicts and other problems will be taken as a start of negotiations, not as a reason to automatically deny a vacation request.

4. Those attending ALA may not automatically add vacation days to the end or the beginning of the convention; any vacation requests will be considered along with those from non-ALA goers, and conflicts negotiated.

5. A minimum threshold of reference desk providers will be determined for ALA, December holiday break, and other problematic times. A one or two FTE-equivalent margin for sickness or other unforeseen events will be included. In general, five to six FTE (reference desk providers) must remain when we’re double-staffed and four to five when we’re singled staffed.

6. Leave without pay may be added on to vacation, subject to desk coverage and supervisor and department head approval.

7. The head of reference will call for vacation requests for the entire quarter before beginning the schedule. Individuals need not wait for this call in order to request time off, but for possibly popular times (Thanksgiving), the scheduler may wait to approve requests until the formal call has been made.

8. There is no maximum length to vacation, but time off is subject to supervisor approval, desk coverage, and university personnel policies.

9. A reference desk provider who cancels his/her leave after the schedule has been completed shall make a good faith effort to provide relief at the reference desk.

Back-Ups due to Illness/Emergency

1. When a daytime or evening absence occurs due to illness or emergency the reference desk provider should call the Research Services Office and their supervisor before 8:30am each day of the absence. The departmental Administrative Assistant will inform the Head of Reference, who will send the call for desk coverage.

2. If a reference desk provider is unable to work his/her weekend shift due to illness or emergency, if possible, s/he should find a replacement by calling his/her colleagues. If no replacement can be found, then the reference desk provider must inform his/her reference desk partner and his/her supervisor.

3. The reference desk provider who is absent for an evening or weekend shift is encouraged to compensate in kind to the volunteer who worked their shift.

4. During extenuating circumstances when a replacement cannot be found for an evening or weekend shift, then the Head of Reference has the option of closing the reference desk.

Jury Duty

1. If the schedule has not been completed, the first day of jury duty will be treated as a planned absence. If jury duty continues, then each day thereafter will be treated as an absence due to illness.

2. If the schedule has been completed and the reference desk provider is called for jury duty, s/he should send a call for desk coverage. The first day will be treated in the same manner as an absence due to illness, and if jury duty continues, then each day thereafter will be treated as an absence due to illness.

Back-up Coverage for the Information Desk

Reference providers will provide back-up coverage for the Information Desk during unforeseen problematic times.

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