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12 hr shifts

By Glenn Gustafson posted 05-13-2010 12:36

  
We are a non-sworn 911 dispatch in Montana. I would like to have the ability to have some shifts work 3 12's one week followed by 3 12's and a 8 the next. Our county atty stated that we have to pay OT for the second week since we are not a sworn agency (He states that only sworn agencies can avoid the "OT after 40 hrs in a week" law by working 80 hrs in two weeks.) We now work either 4 10's or a 14,14,12 (which people love) but I would like to know how other agencies (especially in Montana) handle their 12 hr shifts.
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Comments

TJ Martin
08-11-2025 13:42

Roberta could you please share your schedule with me? Thanks in advance.

Roberta Durbin
06-07-2010 09:48

Hi Glenn,
I am a non sworn dispatcher in Wyoming. We went to 12 hour shifts about 3 and half years ago. We are held to the 40 hour work week as well. The solution we found was that one week we worked 3 12.25 hour shifts (the .25 allowed for us to brief and prepare before shift) The next week we worked 2 13 and a 13.5. We also only have 2 shifts, nights or days. If you would like a copy of our schedule feel free to contact me and I can e-mail you one.

Marla Bonner
05-18-2010 16:05

Hello Glenn, my agency is in the great state of Tennessee. Our department works on a 28 day pay cycle. We work with a minimum of 5 dispatchers per shift and when we are full staff we have 26 dispatchers. We work 4 twelve hours shifts and off 4 days. This gives us a rotating schedule and you will get to have some weekends off regardless of senority, as well as holidays. Our attorney justified this schedule because on this 28 day pay cycle we have to take a "short shift" where we can either work 1 four hour shift or use a "comp" day. At the end of this 28 day cycle we have worked a total of 160 hours, which is not accruing any overtime. We only got approved for this because we were recently reclassified as "Public Safety" vs. "Civilan" employees. Our moral has gone up tremendously and absenteeism has fallen. I hope this works for you.

John Hinkle
05-18-2010 08:22

HI Glenn, I also work in Montana and our schedule is 3 12's and a 4, We have 15 full time, 1 part time. There is always 4 people scheduled for a shift unless someone is on vacation or takes a comp day. We have a 3 person min. Most of us that our 4 hour friday shift off that gives us a nice long 4 day weekend.