PlanIt Scheduling System: Overview & Terminology

• PlanIt Scheduling System is a web-based system used for:
  • Recording daily staffing
  • Requesting and approving paid time off
  • Submitting and approving earned overtime
  • Managing and updating personnel contact information
  • Routine personnel-related tasks
  • Eliminating reliance on paper records
• The policy aims to provide employees with standards for using PlanIt and defines responsibilities for managing accrued paid time off (PTO).

PlanIt Scheduling System Terminology

• Time Off Request: PlanIt form used to request paid time off.
• Time Off Overview: User-specific overview of accrued paid time off balances and request history.
• OT Form Submit: PlanIt form to request overtime credit to the employee's Overtime Bank Balance.
• Overtime Codes: Departmental internal codes to designate the basis for credited overtime.
• Bank: System for tracking a user's accrued paid time off and usage history.
• PTO: Paid Time Off.

User Roles

• The PlanIt Scheduling System requires at least one and up to three system administrators, assigned by the Chief of Police.

Administrator Responsibilities

• Configuring the overall system.
• Adding/deactivating user accounts.
• Revising schedules for employees changing shifts, units, hours, or RDO rotation.
• Publishing schedules annually.
• Auditing PTO balances, including balancing and populating PTO balances annually.
• Providing annual PTO balance and liability reports to the Indiana State Board of Accounts.
• Providing periodic PTO balance and overtime reports to the Chief of Police.

Power User

• The Power User role is delegated to department supervisors with the rank of Sergeant and above.

Power User Responsibilities

• Reviewing subordinates' schedules daily to identify errors in regular schedules and scheduled time off.
• Approving or denying paid time off requests for direct subordinates, including a reason for denials in the request notes.
• Reviewing and approving or denying overtime submissions, ensuring accuracy of times, dates, and descriptions with denial reasons in the submission notes.
• Reviewing and approving or denying shift trade requests.
• Power Users (supervisors) should avoid scheduling PTO or recording OT credits for subordinates, except in emergencies or short-notice call-offs, to promote employee responsibility for managing their own time/time-off.

General User

• The General User role is assigned to employees not assigned as Administrator or Power User.

General User Responsibilities

• Reviewing their own schedule and approved time off requests for accuracy.
• Submitting PTO requests within PlanIt, determining how to utilize accrued PTO.
• Submitting overtime (OT) requests within PlanIt, accurately reflecting the reasons overtime was earned and the amount of hours to be credited.

Time-Off Requests

• All users submit time-off requests using the Time-Off Request feature, ensuring the accuracy of dates and start/stop times, and selecting the PTO bank to debit (Vacation, Paid Holiday, Reward Time, etc.).
• Supervisors with the Power User role may approve time-off requests on their own behalf and should check for pending requests from subordinates. Notifications within PlanIt can be enabled for improved efficiency.
• Supervisors can cancel previously approved time-off requests by selecting the scheduled shift, returning the employee "to shift" and crediting the time back to the employee's PTO bank.
• A submitted Time-Off Request is not guaranteed approval and remains unapproved until a supervisor approves it in PlanIt. For short-notice requests, employees should notify supervisors to expedite the approval/denial process.
• Only Administrators may edit scheduled and approved time-off that has elapsed to avoid inaccurate accounting and PTO bank balances.

Overtime (OT) Requests

• All users submit Overtime (OT) Requests using the OT Form Submit feature, ensuring accurate date and start/stop times when overtime hours were worked. All OT Request submissions must include a case number and/or description, categorized by available OT codes.
• OT Request forms should be submitted with minimal delay, preferably within one (1) day of the OT being earned, to avoid automatic denial.
• PlanIt calculates OT hours using a basis of x1.5, rounded to the nearest ½ hour, to be credited to the employee’s OT bank. Employees should verify the calculations on the OT submission receipt screen, cancelling and resubmitting if there are errors.
• Supervisors must review OT Request submissions for accuracy and completeness before approval. OT Requests submitted two (2) weeks/14 days or more after the time was earned will be immediately denied with a reason in the denial notes.

Master Schedule Changes

• When an employee changes assignments (shift, group, unit, division, working hours), the responsible division Captain must notify the PlanIt system Administrator(s) using the Shift Change Notification Form.
• The notification should include:
  • Employee involved.
  • Effective date of the change.
  • The assignment the employee is moving to and from.
  • Any dates recorded as administrative RDOs to facilitate the transition.

Bank Balances - Accrued PTO

• Carried-Over Vacation: Maximum balance is 240 hours
• Vacation: Earned per the collective bargaining agreement based on longevity. Maximum of 120 hours carried-over at year-end and credited to the Carried-Over Vacation Bank.
• Military Time: 120 hours for military service personnel, credited annually and not eligible to be carried over.
• Overtime: Maximum 250 hours banked. Overages above 250 hours are calculated for payout (Cash Out) from the last day of each month, according to the collective bargaining agreement. Requests for credit of Overtime must be submitted within two (2) weeks/14 days of overtime being earned.
• Paid Holiday Time: Credited in full at the beginning of each calendar year, according to City-designated holidays, and not eligible to be carried over.
• Personal Time: Credited in full at the beginning of each calendar year, according to the collective bargaining agreement, and not eligible to be carried over.
• Reward Time: Maximum 320 hours banked, credited quarterly for the previous three (3) month period. 16 hours earned for each three (3) month period where no Sick Time is used. Unused Reward Time is carried over from year to year up to the maximum.
• Sick Time: Maximum 720 hours banked, credited 8 hours monthly if no Sick Time is used in the previous month. It may be credited in advance for the calendar year—96 hours—at the department's discretion.