Common use of Low Census Clause in Contracts

Low Census. Nurses who report for work as scheduled and who must leave because of low census shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours report pay at the straight-time rate. The Employer shall continue its efforts to provide at least two (2) hours prior notice of low census day off. Low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital shall be referred to the Conference Committee. Where skill, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall be required to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time nurses will be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided the full-time or part-time nurse is available and skill, ability, experience, competence or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them of the low census assignment at the time the need for low census is being identified. The nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on his/her unit.

Low Census. Nurses who report for In the event of a temporary decrease in occupancy and/or the level of care required by residents in the facility to the extent that there is insufficient work as scheduled and who must leave because of to require the normal staffing, the Employer shall have the option to assign low census days/hours to employees. Low census days/hours shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours report pay at assigned pursuant to the straight-time rate. following procedure: The Employer shall continue its efforts first consider whether employees in the job classification and unit that is experiencing low census for the shift can be reassigned to another unit (and/or, where appropriate, another job classification) for which the employee is qualified. Unless specific, documented resident care needs are overriding. Such reassignment shall be made to the least senior employee in the job class without rotation (this only applies to low-census-driven floating assignments. Floating required to cover unexpected staff vacancies may be equitably rotated among staff based upon resident care needs). No employee shall suffer a reduction in his/her pay due to such temporary reassignment. If reassignment is not appropriate, unless specific, documented resident care needs are overriding, low census call-offs shall be made in accordance to the following: • Employees shall first be asked tovolunteertotakealowcensus day/hour (the Employermay provide at least two (2) hours prior notice opportunity for employees to indicate interest in "volunteering" census in advance and may assume individuals who do not "sign up" do not wish to volunteer, rather than having toinquireofeachscheduled employeewithin the job class). • If there are an insufficient number of volunteers to accomplish the necessary reduction then employees shall be designated by the Employer to take a low census day off. Low Assignments of low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital days/hours shall be referred to rotated among the Conference Committee. Where skill, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working staff in affected departments so that no employee in a scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse department shall be required to float more than twice per shifttake a second low census day until all employeesin thedepartment shall have takena lowcensus day. Regular fullLow census assignments shall initially be made in the reverse order of seniority. After all employees in a department have takenalowcensus day thentherotationwill begin again with the least senior employee. An employee who volunteers to take a low census day shall be regarded for the purpose of rotation to have been assigned that day as a low census day. Nothing herein shall limit the number of low census days an employee may acceptasavolunteer. Low census days shall be without compensation (except Show-time and part-time nurses Up pay, if applicable). However, employees may use available vacation time. • Should an employee be called off out of turn in the rotation, his/her remedy will be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses to be skipped in the rotation when his/her "turn" next comes up. If an employee is called off due to low census, the employee shall be eligible to have the hours which were scheduled to be worked count as time worked for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided the full-following, including but not limited to: • Eligibility for benefits • Waiting periods under health insurance and other fringe benefit plan • Vacation and, sick leave accruals The employee may have to complete a form requesting such "credit" if the Employer’s time or part-time nurse & attendance system is available and skill, ability, experience, competence or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory set up to automatically track low census will be limited hours. It is understood that reduction in hours due to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH expected to be identified as a “closed” unittemporary state. Low Census hours will be tracked by In the event bargaining unit employees within the same job classification or department are assigned low census time off on a majority of the days during a forty-five (45) calendar day period, the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them Union shall meet within ten (10) calendar days of the Union’s request to discuss alternatives, including the feasibility of implementing the layoff provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding, the Union may request a meeting with the Employer at any point of low census assignment at the time the need for low census to discuss appropriate solutions, if it is being identified. The nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff determined that reduction in hours is causing significant distress and economic impact to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on his/her unitbargaining unit employees.

Low Census. Nurses who report for work as scheduled and who must leave because of low census shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours report pay at the straight-time rate. The Employer shall continue its efforts to provide at least two (2) hours prior notice of low census day off. Low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital shall be referred to the Conference Committee. Where skill, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift, then volunteers. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall be required to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time nurses will be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided the full-time or part-time nurse is available and skill, ability, experience, competence or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them of the low census assignment at the time the need for low census is being identified. The nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on his/her unit.

Low Census. Nurses This article shall apply to nursing assistants and surgical technicians. If a decline in census or patient needs leaves the Employer overstaffed, the Employer may reduce the number of work hours scheduled for the affected shifts on a particular unit. When the decrease is anticipated to be temporary, the Employer shall effect appropriate reductions in staff as set forth in this article. First, employees who report for are qualified to work as scheduled and who must leave because in another area of low census the Employer where there is a need shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours report pay at the straight-time ratereassigned to such other area provided such employee is oriented and qualified to work in that department or unit. The Employer shall not assign employees to functions or tasks to which they have not been oriented or are not qualified to perform. Second, if the above condition cannot be met, the Employer shall offer full-time and part- time employees on a particular shift or unit an opportunity to voluntarily request an absence day. The employee may elect to use an accrued vacation day to maintain wages. Voluntary absence days shall not count toward the maximum number of involuntary absent days. Third, if additional reductions in staff are needed, the least senior regularly scheduled employee scheduled for the department/unit where the reduction is necessary shall be assigned an involuntary absent day. If further reductions are needed on that particular shift, the next least senior employee shall be assigned an involuntary absent day and so on up the seniority list. If more reductions are necessary on another particular shift and the least senior employee has already received one (1) involuntary absent day, the next senior employee shall be assigned an involuntary absent day until all employees have been assigned one (1) day on a rotating seniority basis. If all employees on a department/unit which is the subject of staff reductions have been assigned forty (40) hours in a contact year; thereafter employees shall be assigned to other units for which they are qualified; and, if as a result employees on such other departments/units are displaced and assigned an absence day, no such displaced staff members shall be required to accept more than forty (40) hours in a contract year. Any employee volunteering for, or forced to take low-census hours shall continue its efforts to provide at least accrue seniority during the time off and shall continue to receive accruals toward fringe benefits during the time off. An employee who is advised not to report to work under this article and who is assigned an absence day shall be given a minimum of one and one half (1 1/2) hours’ notice before the beginning of the shift, assuming the staff member is reachable. If a call is answered by an answering machine, the Employer shall leave the appropriate message and need not call again. It shall be treated as an in-person conversation. The employee shall be advised when he or she reports for work that the Employer was unable to reach him or her and he or she may go home. If the employee s given less than one and one half (1 ½) hours’ notice, he or she shall receive two (2) hours prior notice of low census day offpays without reporting. Low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital An employee shall be referred to the Conference Committeegiven credit toward all benefits and seniority for time lost from work under this article, as if such time were hours worked, except that such hours shall not count toward payment of overtime. Where skillWhen services of an employee on a shift and unit have been reduced under this article, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and oneno non-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to bargaining unit employees shall be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall be required perform such services unless necessary to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time nurses will be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided maintain the full-time or part-time nurse is available and skill, ability, experience, competence or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses skill level in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them of the low census assignment at the time the need for low census is being identified. The nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on hisparticular department/her unit.

Low Census. Nurses who report for work as scheduled and who must leave because of low census shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours report pay at Unanticipated declines in patient care requirements may result in the straight-time rate. The Employer shall continue its efforts need to provide at least two (2) hours prior notice of low census day offreduce nursing staff. Low census call is defined as decline in patient volume and/or patient care requirements resulting in a temporary staff decrease. It is recognized by the parties that the basic policy shall be to use the low census procedure to accomplish short term staff reductions. When a reduction in patient care requirements occurs over an extended period, resulting in a need for work force reduction or consolidation of services, the layoff procedure will be voluntary whenever feasibleimplemented. Procedures for insuring effective contact Low Census Definitions. Mandatory Low Census: (MLC) Low census which is identified by management as mandatory and communication between nurses and the hospital shall be referred to the Conference Committee. Where skill, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined assigned by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a Hospital to scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall be required to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time staff. Canceling supplemental and extra shifts are not counted as MLC. All traveler and agency nurses will shall be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided released from work on the full-time unit prior to implementing mandatory low census on that unit unless the traveler or part-time agency nurse possesses a unique skill which is required on the unit. If a nurse is available subject to mandatory low census on one unit and skillis able to float to another unit and accept a full patient assignment, ability, experience, competence then traveler and agency nurses shall be released from work to accommodate the floating unless the traveler or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer agency nurse possesses a unique skill which is required on the basis of relevant criteriaunit. Mandatory Unless the nurse agrees to otherwise, a nurse subject to mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify for the individual advising them entirety of the shift or, if the nurse has already begun working, for the entirety of the remainder of the shift. Voluntary Low Census: (VLC)  When staff member requests by signing up on the requested low census list prior to the shift  Verbally requests a low census prior to or during the shift.  Agrees when asked, to take voluntary low census during the shift. If staff nurse is unclear as to the designation of the low census assignment (MLC or VLC), they should seek clarification at the time of the need for low census is being identifiedrequest. The Low Census Standby Prior to the Start of the Shift:– When a nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff agrees to determine accumulated low census hours and be placed on standby prior to the nurse’s place regularly scheduled shift due to low census, standby pay shall be paid for the time on standby to the beginning of the regularly scheduled shift. If the nurse receives less than an hour notice of standby, the nurse receives two hours of standby pay. If the nurse on standby is called in rotation in relation to other core staff work prior to the start of the regularly scheduled shift, the nurse shall be paid at the nurse’s regular rate of pay. If the nurse on his/her unitstandby receives less than an hour notice prior to the start of the regularly scheduled shift, the nurse must report to work within an hour of being notified and will then be paid the regular rate of pay from the start of the shift. If the Hospital contacts the nurse on standby after the start of the nurse’s scheduled shift, the nurse shall not be required to report for work on the scheduled shift.

Low Census. Nurses who report for work as scheduled and who must leave because of low census shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours report pay at the straight-time rate. The Employer shall continue its efforts to provide at least two (2) hours prior notice of low census day off. Low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital shall be referred to the Conference Committee. Where skill, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a scheduled shiftpremium, then volunteers, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall be required to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time nurses will be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided the full-time or part-time nurse is available and skill, ability, experience, competence or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them of the low census assignment at the time the need for low census is being identified. The nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on his/her unit.

Low Census. Nurses who report for work as Low Census (L/C) will be first assigned on an affected unit on a voluntary basis. If there are not sufficient volunteers, L/C time will be assigned on a rotational, fair and equitable basis on the affected unit, starting with the least senior nurse, shift-by-shift. The “fair and equitable” commitment will be on a shift-by-shift, day-by-day basis with skills, competence, and ability of the nurses scheduled and who must leave because of low census that shift being taken into consideration by the Employer. A turn in the rotation shall be paid occur when a nurse (1) receives a minimum of four (4) or more hours report pay at the straight-time rate. The Employer shall continue its efforts to provide at least two of L/C or (2) hours prior notice accumulates a minimum four-hour block of low census day offcensus. Low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital shall be referred to the Conference Committee. Where skillProvided, abilityhowever, experience, competence if it is a full- or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria, low census days will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall be required to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time nurses will nurse’s turn to be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided the full-time LC’d on an affected unit and shift, and that full- or part-time nurse is available cross trained to another unit unaffected by LC, and skill, ability, experience, competence there is a PRNper diem nurse without an FTE or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by an agency nurse scheduled for the Employer same shift on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight (48) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wideunaffected unit, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them of the low census assignment at the full- or part- time the need for low census is being identified. The cross trained nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on exercise his/her seniority to be reassigned by nursing management to the unaffected unit for such shift, so long as the PRNper diem nurse can be LC’d without the hospital incurring Report Pay under Section 10.11 or the agency nurse can be released without the hospital being charged by the agency for the agency nurse’s shift. After a nurse has received sixteen (16) hours of L/C in the month, the nurse can request priority to work their scheduled shift over nurses on the affected unit with less seniority, subject to any skill and ability consideration. Provided, however, if it is a cross-trained nurse’s turn to be L/C’d because s/he is the least senior nurse scheduled on the affected shift and unit., and there is a less senior nurse scheduled for the same shift on an unaffected unit where the more senior nurse is cross-trained, the more senior cross-trained nurse may exercise his/her seniority [after receiving sixteen (16) hours of L/C in the current month] to be reassigned by nursing management to an unaffected unit where the least senior nurse can be L/C’d, in an effort to have all nursing areas share in L/C time. Not worked L/C on-call time will be counted toward L/C time for these calculations. The L/C-On-Call rotation list will restart with each new calendar month. In counting L/C hours for the purpose of the fair and equitable distribution commitment, the following criteria shall apply:

Low Census. Nurses Low census shall be defined as a decline in patient care requirements or a period of low need resulting in a temporary staff decrease. During periods of low census, the Employer will equitably rotate mandatory low census among all available employees by unit, classification and shift providing skill, competence and ability are adequate to meet patient care needs. Agency employees will be released from work prior to implementing low census providing the other regular employees remaining on the unit possess the skills, ability and experience to perform the required work and patient safety is not a factor in the judgment of the Employer. When scheduled staff exceeds patient care needs, the Employer would intend to reduce its staff in the following cut order: First Cut Employees working in any time and one-half (1 1/2) condition (excluding employees receiving rest between shift premium pay) Next Cut Requested cut (volunteers) Next Cut Per Diem Next Cut Supplemental Part-time Next Cut Part-time working above their FTE Next Cut Mandatory rotational cut to include full-time, part-time and temporary employees Cut hours will be applied in the above order by seniority within a job classification in the department providing skill, competency, and ability in a specific area are considered equal by the Employer. In an effort to maintain an equitable rotation of low census, employees subject to low census will be given the opportunity to voluntarily float to other units where the need exists, and where the employee is qualified to perform the required work in the opinion of the Employer. This includes voluntary floating from one Medical Center facility to another, such as from Hospice House to the main hospital. Employees may use this provision to voluntarily float in order to orient to a unit where they require orientation but are otherwise qualified to perform the work, when it is mutually agreeable between the employee and the manager of the unit to which the employee is floating, provided the employee pre-identifies the unit to which the employee wishes to orient, and receives pre-approval from his or her manager. Employees who report for work as scheduled and who must leave because wish to have a secondary per diem position in order to voluntarily float in times of low census shall to a different job classification may notify Human Resources of their interest in establishing a secondary per diem position. The Employer will evaluate the need to post a per diem position based on relevant criteria, in the opinion of the Employer. Voluntary low census will not count towards rotation cuts. Employees experiencing reduced hours will be paid a minimum given first consideration for additional hours of work provided they notify management in writing of the dates and shifts they are available. If an employee is inadvertently cut out of turn, the mistake will be remedied on the next rotation or as soon as possible. Cut lists will be available in the staffing office for employees to view on request. The Employer will give at least one and one-half (1 1/2) hours' notice in advance of the scheduled shift of pending cut hours. If the Employer does not attempt to notify the employee at least one and one-half (1 1/2) hours in advance of the shift and the employee reports to work, the employee will be provided at management’s discretion, with four (4) hours report of work, or four (4) hours of pay at the straight-time ratestraight time. The Employer shall continue its efforts to provide at least two (2) hours prior notice of low census day off. Low census call will be voluntary whenever feasible. Procedures for insuring effective contact and communication between nurses and the hospital shall be referred to the Conference Committee. Where skill, ability, experience, competence or qualifications are not overriding factors as determined by If the Employer on does attempt to notify the basis of relevant criteriaemployee within the deadline but fails to reach the employee, low census days the Employer will be rotated equitably among all nurses, registry nurses first, then volunteers, then nurses receiving time and one-half or double time overtime/premium except those nurses working a scheduled shift, per diem staff and part time staff working an extra shift. Nurses may also be offered the option or may be assigned to float to areas where they are needed, qualified and recently oriented on the basis of the nurse having completed a written technical skills checklist for the area, or to be oriented to a new area, or to take an indirect patient care assignment. Floating is primarily intended to be used to address fluctuations in census and employee absences. No nurse shall not be required to float more than twice per shift. Regular full-time and part-time nurses will be given priority over casual and/or per diem nurses for filling regularly scheduled staffing needs provided pay the full-time or part-time nurse is available and skill, ability, experience, competence or qualification are not overriding factors as determined by the Employer on the basis of relevant criteria. Mandatory low census will be limited to no more than forty-eight four (484) hours per nurse per six (6) month period. Generally low census is house wide, meaning there is only one 48 hour cap. Except that there shall be no such limit for nurses in a unit that has been mutually agreed by WSNA and SRH to be identified as a “closed” unit. Low Census hours will be tracked by the Employer but nurses who believe they have reached their cap and do not want to be low censused must notify the individual advising them of the low census assignment at the time the need for low census is being identified. The nurse may request of their manager or nursing office staff to determine accumulated low census hours and the nurse’s place in rotation in relation to other core staff on his/her unitguarantee.