A published schedule is mostly names against shifts, and the interesting parts are the shifts that are not settled: open shifts, which are published without a name so that people can claim them; the on call shift, which a person must be available for and may or may not work; and the shift trade, where two people swap. Each is a gap in the record if the schedule does not handle it explicitly, and each is where most schedule disputes start. This page sets out how open shifts are offered and filled, what an on call shift owes the person on it, how a shift trade is recorded so that payroll and the manager agree, and why all three belong on the published schedule rather than in a group chat.
Open shifts: publishing the gap on purpose
An open shift is a shift the pattern needs covered that has no name on it when the schedule is published, so that part-timers and people wanting extra hours can claim it. Publishing it is better than leaving it blank and phoning around, because the claim is recorded, the first claimant gets it, and the manager can see at a glance which shifts are still open a week out. The rule that matters is the cut-off: an open shift unclaimed by a set day is assigned, not left to chance. Some cities' predictive scheduling laws require open shifts to be offered to existing part-time staff before new hires, and the record of the offer is what shows that was done.
The on call shift: available, not necessarily working
An on call shift puts a person on standby: they must be reachable and able to come in within a stated time, and they are paid for the hours they work if called. Whether the standby hours themselves are paid depends on how restricted the person is; under the federal rules, time on call that the person can use freely is generally not hours worked, and time spent waiting at or near the workplace generally is. The schedule should say which, with the response time and the call-in pay if any, because an on call shift that turns out to mean sitting at home unable to leave is hours worked in the eyes of the law and unpaid in the eyes of the payroll.
The shift trade: two names on one shift
A shift trade is two people swapping shifts, and it is the commonest change to a published schedule. Done in a message, it produces a timesheet that disagrees with the schedule and a manager who did not know. Done as a record, the trade is requested by one, accepted by the other, approved if the policy requires it, and written against both shifts with both names and the date, so that the hours move with the shift and the overtime under the federal rules is counted for the person who actually worked. That record is what turns the shift trade from a rumour into a version of the schedule, and it is what Rotazo Pro keeps.
Questions people ask about open shifts
Who can claim an open shift?
Whoever the policy allows, usually existing staff first. Some cities require open shifts to be offered to current part-time employees before hiring; the record of the offer shows it was.
Is an on call shift paid?
The hours worked if called are paid. Standby time is paid when the person is so restricted they cannot use it for their own purposes; free time waiting for a call generally is not, under the federal rules. State rules and agreements add call-in minimums.
Does a shift trade need approval?
That is the employer's policy. Whether or not approval is required, the trade should be recorded against both shifts with both names so payroll and the schedule agree.