Often throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season, there are concerns about having time off. What is the best approach for asking for time off for a holiday or a vacation?
One option you might have is to request the time off prior to starting your assignment. Now not every facility will agree to this, but it depends mostly on your approach.
Let’s say you were offered an assignment starting in mid-January. You might be able to say, “Yes, I would like to accept the contract, but I have already planned time off to spend with my family in early February.” It would then be the facility’s job to decide whether or not this was a deal breaker.
Now if you do take this approach, be aware that some facilities will not go for this and might even rescind an offer. However, if it is approached right, it’s rare that you will encounter problems.
The best time to mention that you need specific time off is in the interview before the hospital makes an offer. This way, you can often feel them out about the possibility of having that time off. If you mention it and their response is “that’s no problem at all”, then you are good. If you mention it and they hesitate and say something like, “I don’t know if that would be possible”, then you have to decide how important it is to you.
If you do have an agreement with regard to any time off, always have it written into your contract.
Another option to allow for time off on a holiday is to work a half shift with someone (if the facility permits this). One person will cover from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then go home to spend the holiday with their family, while the other person comes in to cover from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Shifts that are “halved” like this often need to be approved by the manager or staffing office, so plan ahead.
Make sure to speak with your Account Manager if you should have any questions or concerns about requesting time off.