Status question for FL CM's

[Cranbiz]

I need a little advise here.

I just got laid off from my FT job. Now please don't fill this thread with sympathy, there are others worse off than me. What I need is some advise, thoughts, tips etc.

I'm currently CR. I'm trying to decide if I should go FT or maybe back off to CT. It's my understanding that as a CR I'm limited to >25 hours a week. If I work more than that on a consistant basis I'm required to be restatused to FT. Is that correct?? Is there the same limitations on CT?

Now if I transition to FT I'll lose my seniority on the CR list. That's not that big of a deal as we get the crap anyway. What happens if I go FT and then get a job back in my profession in lets say a month? Can I go back to CR? Am I better dropping to CT and then just pick up shifts off of the portal?

Now if I go FT, do I just need to go to casting and ask? With the current driver shortage, I'm sure that I an go FT in a heartbeat but then what about going back to either CR or CT?

I was planning to discuss this with a manager today, I'm looking to the vast knowlege base here for info to help me in making my decision.

I don't see being a WDW driver as a career move, It's a great job but it's not enough money in the long run for me to do it as a career.

Thanks in advance.

[Big Wallaby]

I would call Casting and find out. If anyone can answer that quickly and correctly, they can. In buses, I can see the reaction now: You go up and tell them you want to go FT, and they look at you like a pile of fresh meat.

[mechurchlady]

No sympathy, Cranbiz. Just hugs, prayers, and a care package if you need it.
Wallaby is right.

[Main Streeter]

I'm currently CR. I'm trying to decide if I should go FT or maybe back off to CT. It's my understanding that as a CR I'm limited to >25 hours a week. If I work more than that on a consistant basis I'm required to be restatused to FT. Is that correct?? Is there the same limitations on CT?
Now if I go FT, do I just need to go to casting and ask? With the current driver shortage, I'm sure that I an go FT in a heartbeat but then what about going back to either CR or CT?

Cranbiz, I'm DLR & maybe our status is handled very differently than yours @ WDW. You are able to request CT & will be given this level @ anytime. If you hired in as a CR you can request as many hrs. as you can work. I worked as a CR over 70 hrs. per week often. You want to work & there are hrs. you'll be scheduled. CMs can't - not in Ca. - walk into scheduling & ask to be turned CFT. Senority dictates when a CFT spot is open. Disney then sends you forms & offers you a FT position. In short, you can be CR & work FT hrs., but Disney must have a slot & offer you FT. Somehow I think you know all this & I've just wasted board space....again. Dang, where are the Cliffnotes when needed? :D:

[Big Wallaby]

I have heard that the rules are not quite that here, but I don't know about how changing your status works. Also, as a bus driver, they may fight you to keep you FT.

[Cranbiz]

Well,

I spoke to the MK manager of the night and honestly, he was no help. Told him my situation and all he said was "go talk to scheduling, they can tell you how many hours you can work." The shop steward said that I can pick up as many hours as available thru the shift exchange or the portal, it was that you can't be scheduled consistantly for more than 25 hours a week. Changing status is not a problem, we are short 180 drivers. I just prefer not to change to FT and a month later back to CR.

I did a little research on the portal and all it said about overutilization was that you would be considered overutilized if you worked more than 25 hours a week for seven months. At that point you are ineligible for EHH (Extra Hours Hotline) for the rest of the year.

I guess that I'll speak to casting tomorrow after I speak to my recruiter at the staffing firm that represented me for my former job.

[Zazu]

I just got laid off from my FT job....

I'm currently CR. I'm trying to decide if I should go FT or maybe back off to CT.

CR is limited to 25 hours/week, but only on a six month average. For short times, you can work as many hours as you like.

If I work more than [25 hours/week] on a consistant basis I'm required to be restatused to FT. Is that correct?

Yes, but it takes six months to get to that point, and sympathetic management and scheduling can help you stave that off if you get too close.

CT isn't a good choice, as you lose all seniority and many other benefits. This is only appropriate if you're going to be out of town regularly. I don't think it's a good choice for you now.

Now if I transition to FT I'll lose my seniority on the CR list.

Ignore seniority, as you'll have too little to matter either way at first.

What happens if I go FT and then get a job back in my profession in lets say a month? Can I go back to CR?

Probably, given the present driver shortage, but you'll be starting your seniority over again again.

Now if I go FT, do I just need to go to casting and ask?

No. There's a function on the Cast Portal that lets you apply, and it's nearly automatic in this situation.

With the current driver shortage, I'm sure that I an go FT in a heartbeat but then what about going back to either CR or CT?

If it's a choice between letting you change status or losing you altogether, the Mouse will take you any way you want to work.

I don't see being a WDW driver as a career move, It's a great job but it's not enough money in the long run for me to do it as a career.

Then if you're looking for real work, you should postpone making changes at WDW until you have to. Keep your CR status, but change your availability to 7 days. With the labor shortage, this could get you seven shifts/week. If not, pick up more from the Extra Hours Hotline.

With this approach, all you'll have to do to go back the way things are is to change your availability again. This might take two or three weeks to cycle you out of the schedule, but again a sympathetic manager or scheduler could help speed this.

Only if it looks like this is going to be your job for at least six months (or it takes that long anyway) should you bother changing status to FT. The only thing that would get you is guaranteed hours in a slowdown (yeah, right) and better medical coverage.

Hang in there, somebody with your attitude is bound to land something soon.

[Big Wallaby]

...but again a sympathetic...scheduler could help speed this.

<snicker, snicker> From what I understand, not in buses. If you need time off, there is about a three-second window within which you must ask, or it is unilaterally denied. Oh, and they won't tell you when this three-second window is. And that's if they're showing leniancy for medical work. I've been told that to the scheduler, we are somewhere beneath the cockroaches on their list of things to which to be nice.

I'd stick to a manager.

[Cranbiz]

Zazu,

Thank you for your excellent advise. What you gave me is 100% better info that any of the managers that I spoke to had.

Right now I have been able to EHH or take shifts to fill this week. Next week is not as good unless I can get ahold af a CM who is giving away shifts but has her info private. (yeah that works well on the shift exchange, all she wants is to give away shifts but I can't respond to her as I have no shifts to exchange and she doesnt want them anyway)

Zazu, can I modify my availability on the portal ?

Thanks

[Cranbiz]

You know, A little reading is a good thing. I really need to do that more often.

Zazu,

Thanks again for your suggestions. I just got off the phone with scheduling and changed my availability to 7 days. The CM there was sympathetic and said take all you want from the EHH, there are plenty of shifts available. She also said that she would speak to training to let them know that I am available anytime and see if we can get the rest of my hub training completed.

Now as far as reading, the little guide to transportation ops booklet told me exactly how to request a shift swap if I did not have a shift to exchange. Just put in my request for that Monday shift.