40 hour workweek for Emergency Dispatchers?

Question

I work for an Emergency 9-1-1 Communications Center. We currently have a couple of employees that are working 10 hour shifts, 4 days on and 4 days off. Some weeks, it comes up less than 40 hours and some weeks it goes a little over. I'm trying to figure out if starting the workweek on a different time and day can make it equal 40 hours every week (it currently runs from Sat-Sat at midnight). Any help with this problem or any sample communications center schedules will be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

I spend many years as a 9-1-1 Comm Ctr Manager and had to do the scheduling.  When you work the 10/4x4's you always have 40 hours in a week. but 12/4x3's, you will always come out with one week heavier than the others.  Most centers do 12 hour days with 3 days on/4 off, and the following week 4 on and 3 off.

Feel free to email me if you need any further assistance

Answer 2

Well, I would disagree with "most centers work 12 hour shifts", but that is neither here nor there.

Visit  www.911dispatch.com  for many different sample schedules and how to do schedules.

Answer 3

with a 4 day on, 4 day off work week, you will always have an inbalance. There are 7 days in a week and 8 days in your shift rotation schedule. If you want to have a perfectly balanced schedule, you would have to go 4 days on, 3 days off.

You shouldn't ever have more than 40 hours in a week though. If you work 40 hours in 4 days, and then you have 4 days off, you will always start a new week before the 8 day cycle begins to repeat.