Patent ID: 6957188
Filing Date: 2005-10-18
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for processing signals related to trading shifts between employees, the method comprising: accepting by a computer system a conditional offer, by a first employee assigned to work a first shift, to trade the first shift for another shift of another employee; displaying by the computer system to other employees the conditional offer to trade the first shift for another shift; receiving by the computer system a conditional acceptance from a second employee to trade a second shift of the second employee for the offered first shift of the first employee; and confirming by the computer system a trade of the first shift of the first employee for the second shift of the second employee upon verification of criteria, or rejecting the trade of the first shift for the second shift upon non-verification of the criteria; wherein the step of confirming includes checking by the computer system training data associated with the second employee in a training data database, and comparing the training data associated with the second employee with training requirements associated with a work area function to be performed on the first shift to verify that the second employee is qualified to perform the work area functions associated with the first shift; wherein the step of confirming includes checking by the computer system a length of time between a time of receipt of the conditional acceptance and a time of occurrence of the first shift and the second shift against a predetermined minimum time period for trading shifts to verify that the length of time is not less than the predetermined minimum time period, providing a management user of the computer system with the capability to change the predetermined minimum time period; additionally including displaying by the computer system to the second employee, upon confirmation of the trade, notifications relevant to the work area function of the first shift and the training data associated with the second employee; additionally including indicating by the computer system to the first employee, upon confirmation of the trade, the confirmation of the trade; and additionally including restricting by the computer system access to information about the trade of the first shift for the second shift upon confirmation of the trade.