PTO Requests and Approvals. To request PTO, employees must request PTO time by entering the request in accordance with the Employer’s policy or submit a PTO request form for approval by their department head. The Employer shall make every reasonable effort to grant requests for PTO consistent with business needs. Subject to the provisions of this Article, chronic short staffing is not an acceptable reason to deny PTO requests. Requests for scheduled PTO shall be submitted at least thirty (30) days in advance but no more than 60 days, provided that: An employee may request scheduled PTO with less than thirty (30) days’ notice provided that arrangements are made by the Employer for the employee’s job assignment to be covered and further provided that no overtime or additional vacancies on shifts will result unless there is approval of the facility CEO, which shall not be unreasonably denied. Nursing staff will find their own coverage if the schedule has been posted. Employees may request scheduled PTO more than 60 days in advance provided the PTO time requested does not include a holiday or holidays. If an employee submits a request and no other employee submits a request within ten (10) calendar days of the first submission, then the employee who first submitted shall be entitled to the selected period, seniority notwithstanding. If an employee submits and another employee or employees submit a request for the same period of PTO and all submissions are made within the same ten (10) calendar days of the first submission, then the employee with the greatest seniority shall be granted the period in question, if staffing does not permit the granting of all requests. In any event, each employee who has submitted a request for PTO shall, within ten (10) calendar days of said submission, be advised if the request has been granted. If the request is not responded to in that time frame, then the request will automatically be granted. An unscheduled absence due to an illness or injury of more than three (3) consecutive days with notice may be considered a Leave of Absence. For such an absence, the employee will be required to present a physician or primary care practitioner’s statement to verify illness or injury and the dates the employee is unable to work. The Employer reserves the right to have the employee evaluated by an Employer-designated physician. PTO can be granted in full week blocks, days, or as smaller increments, not less than two (2) hours in duration. PTO may be paid to an emplo...
