Frequently Asked Question
What is a "Blocked Day"?
Last Updated 5 years ago
Have you ever been denied a drop/swap on a "green" day? It's not an error; it's by design and here is how it works:
Each day of the year has a minimum "buffer" of reserves required. The "net" amount of reserves available equals to the total reserves available minus the total amount of open duty periods for that day.
When the net exceeds the buffer, the day is said to be "green".
When the net equals the buffer, the day is said to be "black".
When the net is lower than the buffer, the day is said to be "red".
At midnight, FLiCA processes drops/swaps, in seniority order. For each FA that is granted a drop/swap, based on the length of their trip, the net reserves lowers. If the day was "red" to begin with, or once a day goes "black", FLiCA will automatically deny every drop that touches that day further down the list.
At the same time, in seniority order, FAs are also adding (i.e. picking up) trips out of Opentime. Each add, based on the length of the trip, will increase the net - making some days return to "green" status.
The net reserves is constantly changing throughout the day as trips are dropped and added.
If your drop/swap request being approved was to make the day "red", your request would be denied and everyone else junior to you would also be denied any request that would lower the net for that day.
FLiCA calls this a "Blocked Day." Once someone's request is denied for making the day "red", that day is blocked for the rest of that night's process.
If your request was the first to make the day red, your request would be denied for "Below Minimum Reserve Coverage".
If your request was denied because someone senior to you was denied for making the day red, your request would be denied for "Blocked Day".
Why? The reason is simple: seniority protection. Without this process, the following scenario could happen:
It's not fair that FA #35 was denied for their drop and FA #79 was approved for theirs, just because of a random pick up in between.
Since the CBA specifies that there is only one run per night, the system is not allowed to keep "rerunning" the requests. If you get denied tonight, try again tomorrow. As long as the grid stays green before your request is processed, you will always have a chance. Sometimes it can take a few days.
Each day of the year has a minimum "buffer" of reserves required. The "net" amount of reserves available equals to the total reserves available minus the total amount of open duty periods for that day.
When the net exceeds the buffer, the day is said to be "green".
When the net equals the buffer, the day is said to be "black".
When the net is lower than the buffer, the day is said to be "red".
At midnight, FLiCA processes drops/swaps, in seniority order. For each FA that is granted a drop/swap, based on the length of their trip, the net reserves lowers. If the day was "red" to begin with, or once a day goes "black", FLiCA will automatically deny every drop that touches that day further down the list.
At the same time, in seniority order, FAs are also adding (i.e. picking up) trips out of Opentime. Each add, based on the length of the trip, will increase the net - making some days return to "green" status.
The net reserves is constantly changing throughout the day as trips are dropped and added.
If your drop/swap request being approved was to make the day "red", your request would be denied and everyone else junior to you would also be denied any request that would lower the net for that day.
FLiCA calls this a "Blocked Day." Once someone's request is denied for making the day "red", that day is blocked for the rest of that night's process.
If your request was the first to make the day red, your request would be denied for "Below Minimum Reserve Coverage".
If your request was denied because someone senior to you was denied for making the day red, your request would be denied for "Blocked Day".
Why? The reason is simple: seniority protection. Without this process, the following scenario could happen:
- FA #1 drops her trip making the grid black.
- FA #35 also put in a drop, but is denied because the grid is black.
- Then FA #70 picks up a trip, making the grid green again.
- Then FA #79 has a drop request that is now approved because the grid is back to green.
It's not fair that FA #35 was denied for their drop and FA #79 was approved for theirs, just because of a random pick up in between.
Since the CBA specifies that there is only one run per night, the system is not allowed to keep "rerunning" the requests. If you get denied tonight, try again tomorrow. As long as the grid stays green before your request is processed, you will always have a chance. Sometimes it can take a few days.