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 dollars 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.