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Taking Time Away
Many members of the NDCLab give their time to the lab voluntarily; others are employees or graduate students. All lab members have a standard weekly time commitment that varies depending upon their role. There is never an expectation, even implicit, that lab members should be working 24/7.
It’s important to work hard. But it’s also important to take time away from work to focus on your health, your family and friends, and your personal endeavors. Balancing these things makes it possible to be productive and enjoy your work for the long-term. How precisely you balance them is a personal choice.
Therefore, lab members are encouraged to regularly take time off for themselves, provided that:
- their absence will not negatively impact the people and projects that depend on them.
- their plans are communicated to the team (i.e., the Lab Manager, PI, and any other relevant senior staff) with adequate, advance notice.
In addition, part-time and full-time staff members must comply with FIU policies regarding time off.
Unplanned Absences for Staff
In the event of an unplanned absence (e.g., personal emergency, illness, etc.) that prevents you from attending a commitment that you had been previously scheduled for, you must inform the PI and the Lab Manager as soon as possible, and make sure to provide all necessary contextual details, such as the time of the meeting, who the expected attendees are, and any other relevant information.
Whenever possible, you are expected to take appropriate actions to resolve the situation. For example, you may attempt to contact other qualified staff members to see if they are available to cover for you, or, if your presence was essential, you may notify the attendees that the meeting or event has been cancelled. If unsure about the required actions, consult the PI or the Lab Manager.
However, if you are unable to handle the situation at the time, you must clearly communicate this limitation to the PI and the Lab Manager so that they know that you are not taking any further actions beyond the notification and can assign required actions between them or other staff members. Please note that it is fine to not take further action (e.g., you are feeling very unwell or have a time-sensitive emergency) as long as you communicate clearly that you cannot take further action.
Adherence to this policy ensures smooth operation of the lab and minimizes disruption to scheduled activities.
Unplanned Absences for Volunteers
In the event of an unplanned absence that prevents you from attending a commitment that you had been previously scheduled for, you must inform the both Lab Manager and the senior staff member who scheduled you for the commitment as soon as possible, and make sure to provide all necessary contextual details.
In the event of a planned or unplanned absence that prevents you from being available for a shift you are regularly scheduled for, you must inform the Lab Manager, even if you are not currently scheduled for anything during that shift.