Page 40 - PCPA Summer 2025 Bulletin Magazine

PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
UNDERSTANDING SHIFT BIDDING: A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO SCHEDULING
Understanding Shift Bidding:
A Structured Approach
to Scheduling
Many agencies offer shift bidding at
some point, whether it’s mid-year,
end-of-year, or even monthly. The
process is not uncommon. What’s
tricky about shift bids, however, is that
every agency handles it differently.
While most departments order picks
by seniority, even those processes
can vary widely.
How Does Shift Bidding Work?
If you’re not too familiar with shift
bidding, it’s essentially a structured
method for assigning long-term shifts
based on staffing needs, employee
preferences, and operational
requirements. Whether managed
manually or through a scheduling
system, the goal is to fill all necessary
positions while maintaining fairness,
compliance, and efficiency.
It typically works like this:
1. Shift Planning: Supervisors or
scheduling personnel define the
shifts needed to ensure appropriate
coverage. Depending on the
agency’s needs, certain shifts may
require specific qualifications or
meet other predefined criteria.
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