Job Dynamics of Veterinary Professionals in an Academic Research Institution. II. Veterinary Technician Attendance, Absenteeism, and Pay Distribution

To understand and better manage attendance and overtime for a team of veterinary technicians, a retrospective analysis of the attendance and time card records was done over a 2-y period. The findings show that veterinary technicians were in the workplace for a combination of straight time and overtime hours for approximately 89% of all compensated hours. The remainder of paid compensation was for vacation (4%), holidays (4%), and sick leave (3%). This team of veterinary technicians earned significantly more overtime hours, as much as 9% of total annual compensated hours, than the reported 3% standard for animal resources programs nationwide. The majority of overtime hours (61%) were for assigned weekend and holiday duty and after-hours veterinary medical emergencies. Veterinary technicians expended sick leave at 75% of the amount accrued and at a statistically significantly rate 65% higher than the national average for unscheduled absences for hourly personnel in animal resources programs. Because the direct cost of absenteeism may exceed $645 per employee annually and because work inappropriately done at premium pay outside of business hours is a controllable expense, sound management of attendance and overtime is important in cost containment for animal resources programs.