Workflow: Cancellation of Shifts

Shift cancellations are an inevitable part of managing rosters, particularly in sectors such as NDIS, Aged Care, and Allied Health. Properly handling cancellations is critical to ensuring compliance with regulations, maintaining service continuity, and effectively communicating changes to stakeholders. This detailed guide outlines best practices, workflows, and considerations for managing shift cancellations efficiently in MYP Time & Attendance.

Key Considerations for Shift Cancellations

• Published Shifts:If the shift has already been published, unpublish the shift first. This ensures staff members receive an automated email notification about the cancellation.

• Reason for Cancellation:Categorise cancellations appropriately (e.g., Client Unavailability, Staff Sick Leave). Use predefined reasons in the Shift Cancellation Reason Settings to maintain consistency.

• Compliance with Notice Periods:Ensure cancellations adhere to contractual or funding notice periods, particularly for NDIS participants or group activities.

• Billing Implications:Manage cancellation charges or adjust client ratios as per organisational policies and funding guidelines.

• Communication:Notify staff, clients, and other stakeholders promptly to minimise disruption.

Shift Cancellation Workflow

Step 1: Navigate to the Shift

• Go to Time & Attendance > Rosters.

• Select the appropriate roster from the drop-down menu.

• Locate the shift to be canceled in the calendar view.

Step 2: Unpublish the Shift (If Already Published)

• Click on the shift to open the Quick Edit or Deep Edit menu.

• Select the ‘Unpublish Shift’ option.

  • This sends an automated email to notify the staff member of the cancellation.

• Confirm the unpublishing action.

Step 3: Cancel the Shift

• Open the shift using the Quick Edit or Deep Edit menu.

  • Quick Edit: For minor changes or immediate cancellations.

  • Deep Edit: For cancellations requiring additional adjustments or detailed notes.

• Select the ‘Cancel Shift’ option.

• Enter the cancellation details:

  • Reason for Cancellation: Choose from predefined options or provide a custom reason.

  • Notification: Enable the Notify Staff option to inform staff automatically.

  • Client Notification (if applicable): Notify clients via the Communication Centre if their services are affected.

  • Roster Notes: Add any necessary details in the Roster Manager Notes section.

• Save the cancellation:

  • To finalise the cancellation, click 'Cancel Shift' again.NB: 'Save + Close' won't finalise the cancellation, it will only changes made (if any).

  • The shift will appear in the roster view as canceled, denoted by the shift changing color to pink.

Types of Cancellations and Recommendations

Notice Periods:NB: Cancellation policy and associated notice periods are defined by each organisation in line with the NDIS guidelines. The information below is an example only.

• With Notice:

  • E.g., Cancellation is made 7 or more days prior to the shift.

  • When cancelling a shift and selecting 'With Notice' no charge applies to the client.

• Without Notice:

  • E.g., Cancellation is made less than 7 days prior to the shift.

  • Action: Charge the client according to NDIS or organisational guidelines.

  • When cancelling a shift and selecting 'Without Notice' an invoice will be created in Funding in line with the billable detail previously entered in the shift. If no billable detail was entered into the shift prior to a 'Without Notice' cancellation, an invoice will not be created.

Steps:

• Cancel the shift and add a note explaining the reason.

• Mark the shift as With Notice (No Charge) or Without Notice (Charge).

• Notify the client and staff of the change.

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: Client Cancels Within 7 Days

• A client cancels their 1:1 shift scheduled for tomorrow.

Steps:

• Unpublish the shift to notify the staff member.

• Cancel the shift and select Without Notice as the reason.

• Add a note: ‘Client canceled due to illness. Cancellation with charge applies.’

• Review and process the associated invoice in Funding.

Scenario 2: Client Cancels Shift, Staff Still to be Paid

• A client cancels their shift and the assigned staff member is unable to be redeployed elsewhere. The staff member still needs to be paid for this shift, but they will not be completing any work.

Steps:

• Ensure that the Timesheet has been created:

  • Staff member checks into shift (if cancellation is near scheduled time of shift), or,

  • Timesheet is manually created by Roster Manager (Time & Attendance > Timesheets > Create Timesheet > select relevant Shift)

    NB: It is critical that the Timesheet is created prior to the shift being cancelled, to ensure that the staff member can be paid.

• Locate the shift in the Roster, cancel the shift, selecting the relevant 'notice' option

• Add a note: ‘Client canceled. Staff unable to be redeployed, staff still to be paid.’

• Review and process the associated invoice in Funding (if relevant).

Scenario 3: Staff Unavailability for a Group Activity

• A staff member calls in sick for a group shift scheduled tomorrow.

Steps:

• Cancel the staff member's assignment and notify the remaining staff.

• Assign a replacement staff member if available.

• Adjust the client ratios, if necessary, and notify the clients if their schedule is affected.

Scenario : Client Withdraws from Group Activity

• A client cancels from a group activity, affecting the billing for other clients.

Steps:

• Remove the withdrawing client from the shift.

• Determine if another client can fill the spot to maintain the ratio:

  • If yes, update the group roster with the additional client and notify all clients of the change.

  • If no, adjust billing for the remaining clients and inform them of the updated charges.

• If the withdrawing client is to be billed for their cancellation:

  • A single shift can be created with the relevant billing detail, and then cancelled via the cancellation workflow, or,

  • An invoice manually created for the appropriate billing detail, in Funding.

Key Features in Time & Attendance for Cancellations

• Shift Cancellation Reason Settings:

  • 'Cancel Shift' reasons are static and cannot be defined, as they are aligned with the NDIS

  • Changes to a Published shift require a 'reason' and these can be defined in Time & Attendance Settings for consistency and ease of reporting.

• Automated Notifications:

  • Staff receive automated emails when shifts are unpublished prior to being cancelled.

• Integration with Billing Modules:

  • Any billing detail entered into a shift prior to cancellation will prompt the system to create an invoice for the client/s, when the shift is cancelled 'without notice'.

• Warnings and Alerts:

  • Time & Attendance flags potential compliance issues, such as missing cancellation reasons.

Best Practices for Managing Shift Cancellations

• Always Unpublish Published Shifts First:

  • This ensures staff are notified automatically, reducing the need for manual follow-up.

• Document Cancellations Clearly:

  • Use the Roster Manager Notes field to record reasons and follow-up actions.

• Monitor Cancellation Trends:

  • Use Time & Attendance reports to identify patterns and improve scheduling practices.

• Communicate Effectively:

  • Notify staff, clients, and other stakeholders promptly to maintain trust and minimise disruptions.

• Review Group Dynamics:

  • For group activities, ensure adjustments to ratios and billing are communicated to all affected clients.

Conclusion

Efficiently managing shift cancellations ensures service continuity, compliance, and clear communication. Leveraging features like automated notifications, predefined cancellation reasons, and billing integration, MYP Time & Attendance simplifies the process while maintaining accuracy and transparency. Regularly reviewing cancellation data and trends can help organisations refine their rostering practices and minimise disruptions.