Work Schedule and Shift Swap Checklist
Weekly cadence a restaurant GM or AGM runs to build the schedule, publish it to staff, process shift swap requests, and stay ahead of overtime and coverage gaps. Designed for full-service and fast-casual operators using 7shifts, Homebase, or HotSchedules.
Forecast and Schedule Build
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Pull last week's sales and covers from POS
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Forecast covers by daypart for the week
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Set FOH and BOH labor target
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Pull availability and time-off requests
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Verify required certifications are current
Shift Assignment and Posting
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Build the schedule by station and section
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Confirm an allergen-aware manager every shift
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Check the draft against predictive scheduling rules
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Publish the schedule in 7shifts or Homebase
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Post the printed schedule in the office
Shift Swap Requests
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Receive the swap request from the employee
Swap requests come through 7shifts, Homebase, or a written form initialed by both employees. Verbal-only swaps are not accepted — the audit trail is what protects you when an employee no-shows and claims they had a swap.
Collects text Collects text Collects datetime Collects text -
Confirm both employees agree in writing
Both parties must confirm the swap in the scheduling app or by signed form. Saying "yes in passing" doesn't count — the GM needs the written record before approving.
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Verify covering employee meets role requirements
A server can't cover a bartender shift without a current TIPS or state-equivalent alcohol cert. A line cook can't take grill if they haven't been trained on the station. Skill mismatch on a swap is the most common reason a Friday night service falls apart.
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Check the swap against weekly overtime
If the covering employee will exceed 40 hours, the swap creates time-and-a-half liability. In CA and a few other states, the threshold is 8 hours daily. Run the projected weekly hours in 7shifts or Homebase before approving.
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Approve and update the published schedule
Update the schedule in the system of record and re-publish so the change pushes to both employees' phones. Notify the affected station lead (expo, bar lead, floor manager) so the shift handoff is clean.
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Deny the swap and notify the requester
Document the reason — missing cert, overtime collision, role mismatch — in the swap record. The requesting employee remains on the original shift and is responsible for showing up.
Overtime, Coverage, and Rest
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Run the weekly projected-hours report
Most schedule overruns come from a few employees creeping past 40 hours mid-week. The 7shifts or Homebase projected-hours view flags them before the OT hits.
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Confirm minimum rest between closing and opening
Clopens (close-then-open) burn out staff and trigger predictive scheduling penalties in NYC, SF, Seattle, Chicago, Oregon, and Philadelphia. Confirm at least 10 hours between a closing shift and the next opening shift, or pay the penalty knowingly.
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Build the on-call coverage list
Maintain a short list per station — two servers, one bartender, one line cook, one dish — willing to take a same-day call. Post the list near the schedule and in the manager group chat. Some predictive-scheduling jurisdictions require premium pay for last-minute call-ins; document accordingly.
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Cover same-day call-outs
When a call-out comes in, work the on-call list in order and document who was contacted, when, and the outcome. If no one accepts, escalate to AGM or executive chef before deciding to run short or comp service.
Collects list
Post-Week Review
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Reconcile scheduled hours against actual punches
Compare the published schedule to the actual time-clock punches in Toast, Square, or your payroll system. Flag any unapproved overtime, missed clock-outs, or shifts worked off-schedule before payroll closes.
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Calculate labor cost percentage for the week
Pull total labor (wages + payroll taxes + tip-credit adjustments) divided by net sales. Compare to the weekly target set during the build. A 2-point variance is the threshold most operators investigate.
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Collect staff feedback on the schedule
Use the pre-shift huddle or a quick 7shifts pulse survey. Ask specifically about availability conflicts, station coverage, and clopen frequency. Vague "how's the schedule?" prompts get vague answers.
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