NLO Staffing

[nukeboy]

My plant is currently working to correct a staffing problem.  That is a nice way of saying that we are barely at minimum staffing level for NLO's, and will be for quite some time.  Morale is trending negative with no end in sight.

We are interested in how your plant is staffed at the NLO position.  Hopefully some benchmarking of other plants will help our case to hire more NLO's.

Also, if you are not comfortable mentioning your plant by name, try to include some generic info like PWR/BWR, geographic area, etc.


- Is your plant proactive or reactive in hiring NLO's?

- What is your minimum required NLO's per shift?

- How many NLO's do you have per shift?

- Do you work 12 or 8 hr shifts?

- How does your plant fill overtime shifts?  If you have "forced" overtime, is there additional compensation?

- How does your plant handle sick leave or PTO calls?

- How does your plant schedule/cancel vacation?

Thanks a bunch for any feedback you can provide.

[NLO440]

Hey,
I'm an NLO @ a BWR in Ohio. That's vague.   

We're more on the pro-active side of hiring NLO's right now, I guess. We're a little above min-manning, and we are hiring with the intent to move NLO's to license class. At my plant, the RO position is not union, so the move is an option. 

Min manning is 6, we have 7 on most crews.

12 hour shifts

Over time is on a point system, first an ask list, then a force list. The supervisors stick to it pretty well, so it's fair. No additional compensation for being forced.

We get alloted an amount of sick days per year.if you use them, its called an occurance. Based on how many occurances you get effects how many sick days you can get paid for the following year. Mainly, you dont get paid for a sick day if you had an occurance the prior year. Also short term and long term disability, if need be.

Vacation is pretty much first come, first approved. As long as the request is greater than five weeks out, they will usually approve it and fill the vacancy with overtime. They will not force someone to work overtime on a holiday

Fell free to pm me for any more info.

[sovbob]

I'm at a PWR in Texas 

- Is your plant proactive or reactive in hiring NLO's?

I would say we're pro-active about hiring.  They have an estimated manning "budget" based on expected losses of NLOs (License Class, retirement, lateral transfers etc) and hire each new class accordingly.

- What is your minimum required NLO's per shift?

They try to maintain at least 8 (7 required)

- How many NLO's do you have per shift?

Roughly 10

- Do you work 12 or 8 hr shifts?

12 hour shifts

- How does your plant fill overtime shifts?  If you have "forced" overtime, is there additional compensation?

They maintain an overtime list.  The more overtime hours you work, you move further down on the list.

Whenever overtime is needed, they start at the top of the list and move down, calling NLOs asking for volunteers.  Usually somebody will accept it.  If not, forced overtime may be required (The rules for overtime are a little convoluted).

No additional compensation for being forced.

- How does your plant handle sick leave or PTO calls?

If a person calls in sick, and overtime is required to fill their spot, a "call-out" is done.  They start at the top of the overtime list and force the first person who answers their phone.  If desired, they can continue down the list and see if somebody will volunteer for the overtime.

As soon as a person accepts the phone call for the call-out (whether forced or not) their hourly pay starts.  This means that a person working a call-out may be paid for 13 hours instead of the normal 12.

- How does your plant schedule/cancel vacation?

Normally vacation is scheduled on a first-come-first-serve basis.

[BigBri]

Is your plant proactive or reactive in hiring NLO's?

Very pro-active.  New class every year for the last 5 years or so

- What is your minimum required NLO's per shift?

7

- How many NLO's do you have per shift?

Usually have 9-10.  It is cyclic depending on whether or not a bunch of NLO's just left for LC or not.

- Do you work 12 or 8 hr shifts?

12

- How does your plant fill overtime shifts?  If you have "forced" overtime, is there additional compensation?

OT list.  The more you work the further you move down the list.  Being forced means you get paid from the time you answer the phone.  Phone calls for any OT, force or not, start at the top of the list and move down.

- How does your plant handle sick leave or PTO calls?

We do not really have sick leave.  You call in when you are sick and you do not come in.

- How does your plant schedule/cancel vacation?

By seniority up to a certain time of year then after it is first come, first served.