Callout Reasons are simply company-level codes used to categorize the various reasons an employee may need to miss an assigned shift on short notice. These codes can be created for scenarios such as illness, personal emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances, so when an employee calls out of their assigned shift, the appropriate code can be applied to define the reason for the callout.
Callout Reasons are a versatile feature available in both of Empeon's scheduling options.
- Basic Scheduler (Time & Attendance) - For Schedule Patterns that have been assigned, a Callout can be applied to an employee’s shift. This will record the shift that was called out and document the reason for the absence. The employee’s time card will also be updated. However, if PTO (e.g., Sick Pay) is required for the called-out shift, it will need to be manually entered into the time card, provided the employee has the necessary Accrual Bank available.
- Advanced Scheduling - When a Callout is applied to a Shift, there will be the option to apply PTO or not, eliminating the need for further manual adjustments within the time card. Specific to Empeon's Advanced Scheduling feature is the "Callout" request type available within Request & Approvals. If this permission is turned on, it will allow employees to be able to request a "Callout" within their ESS Hub and indicate their Callout Reason for why they need to miss their assigned Shift. When an employee requests a "Callout" it enters an approval process where a designated assignee needs to review and approve the request. When reviewing "Callout" request, assignees will have the option to approve with out without PTO.
To configure and manage Callout Reasons, navigate to the Attendance section within the Company tab and select the Callout Reasons Card.
The Callout Reasons Card displays the Callout Reasons that have already been set up. For each existing Callout Reason, there are options to view, edit, delete, or deactivate the code if needed. Additionally, a checkbox next to the Callout Code allows the code to be copied to another company.
To create a new Callout Reason, click the blue button labeled "+ New Callout Reason".
When adding a new Callout Reason, it will prompt for a Code and Description to be entered.
Click "Save" once both fields have been attended to.
For more information on how to apply a Callout Reason toward an employee's (Basic) Schedule Pattern, please refer to Empeon's article Assigning Schedule Patterns.
For more information on how to apply a Callout Reason within Empeon's Advanced Scheduling feature for an assigned Shift, please refer to Empeon's article Schedule Callouts.