Level 4: Staff Availability — Admin Guide

Level 4: Staff Availability is where you collect constraints from staff. They tell you when they can't work, and you use that to finalize the roster.

What Is Level 4?

After you've created the master roster (Level 3), staff set their availability—when they can and can't work. This includes:

• Permanent constraints (e.g., "I can't work Sundays")
• Leave requests (e.g., "I'm on vacation July 1–7")
• Preferences (soft constraints, not hard rules)

Key Concepts

Availability vs. Leave

Concept	Duration	Type	Example
Availability	Ongoing or seasonal	Recurring constraint	"I can't work Sundays"
Leave	Specific dates	One-time absence	"I'm on vacation July 1–7"

Both prevent staff from being rostered during those times.

Constraint Types

Hard constraints (can't work):

• "I'm unavailable Sundays"
• "I have a course Thu 2–5pm"

Soft constraints (prefer not to work):

• "I prefer not to work consecutive nights"
• "I'd prefer evening shifts over mornings"

Your Role as Admin

During Level 4, you:

1. Notify staff to set availability
2. Review availability and leave requests
3. Approve leave requests (some require manager approval)
4. Adjust availability if needed (e.g., grant exceptions)

How Staff Set Availability

Staff will:

1. Log in to Intelligent Roster
2. Click Level 4: Staff Availability
3. Indicate:
   • When they're available
   • When they're unavailable
   • Any leave requests
4. Click Submit

Then you review and approve.

Managing Availability as Admin

View All Availability Requests

Screenshot placeholder: Admin dashboard showing pending availability requests

1. Go to Level 4: Staff Availability
2. Click Availability Requests
3. You'll see a list of all staff and their submissions

Review Individual Availability

1. Click on a staff member's name
2. View their constraints:
   • Recurring unavailability (e.g., "Can't work Sundays")
   • Leave requests (with dates)
3. Click Approve, Adjust, or Decline

Bulk Manage Availability

You can also:

• Set organization-wide constraints (e.g., "Emergency Dept closed July 4")
• Override individual availability if needed (with reason noted)
• Import availability from external systems (e.g., HR software)

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Staff Member Sets Correct Availability

What happens:

1. Staff sets "Can't work Sundays" + leave "July 1–7"
2. You review and approve
3. Level 5 respects these constraints

Your action: Click Approve

Scenario 2: Leave Request Conflicts with Critical Staffing

What happens:

1. Staff requests leave during a critical period
2. You can't approve without understaffing
3. Need to negotiate

Your action: Message staff, offer alternative dates, or approve with note

Scenario 3: Staff Doesn't Submit Availability

What happens:

1. Leave request is pending
2. You need to follow up
3. Default behavior varies (some systems assume they're available)

Your action: Send reminder, deadline email

Key Rules

• Availability must be set before Level 5: Staff can't proceed to the final roster without setting availability
• Leave requests need approval: Some require admin sign-off; some are auto-approved based on policy
• Admins can override: If needed, you can force availability (documented with reason)
• Recurring constraints take priority: Hard blocks supersede soft preferences

Common Mistakes

❌ Not setting a deadline: Staff procrastinate; set a date (e.g., "Submit by Friday")
❌ Approving conflicting requests: Check for overlaps before approving
❌ Ignoring unfair leave distribution: Monitor if some staff get approved more than others
❌ Forgetting to explain why leave is declined: Always provide reason and alternative

Tips

• Set a reminder 1 week before Level 5: "Please submit availability by X date"
• Review availability weekly: Don't wait until last minute
• Document exceptions: If you override someone's availability, note why
• Use soft constraints wisely: Don't force hard constraints for preferences
• Communicate clearly: Staff should understand what "available" means (e.g., "I can work anytime in my stream")

Next Steps

1. ✅ Set a deadline for availability submission
2. ✅ Notify staff to fill in Level 4
3. ✅ Review and approve requests daily
4. ✅ Once all availability is locked, move to Level 5: Living Roster to publish

See the Getting Started guide for the complete setup checklist.