What it is: a form where each employee lists the hours they can work each day, the hours per week they want, and dates they are unavailable.
Using availability to schedule
Collect the forms before building the schedule, and ask for a new one when someone's school, childcare or second job changes. Write availability as a window (available 3 PM to close) rather than a shift, so you have room to fit people in. Then build the week in the employee schedule maker.
Once availability is in, the employee schedule maker builds the week.
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Questions
How often should availability be updated?
Whenever it changes, and at least each season or semester for staff with changing commitments.