What to Do When Two Staff Call Out the Same Day

It's 6:15 AM. You have two texts. Two different staff members, both out today. Drop-off starts in 45 minutes. You're doing ratio math in your head while making coffee. This article is for that moment — and for making sure it stops happening.

The first 15 minutes

Don't start calling everyone in your phone. That's panic, not a plan. Take these steps in order:

1. Check your ratios room by room. You may not actually be short. If your infant room is fully staffed and the callouts are both from the preschool room, you might be able to shift one person. Know where the gap is before you try to fill it.
2. Check who's already off today. If someone has an approved day off, they're not available. Don't call them — it damages trust in your time-off policy. The whole point of approved time off is that it's approved.
3. Identify your flex staff. Who is scheduled today but isn't room-assigned? Floaters, assistants, admin staff who can cover a room? Move them first.
4. Call your on-call list. If you have one. If you don't, keep reading.

Build a "who to call" list before you need it

Every center should have a short list — 3 to 5 people — who are willing to come in on short notice. This could be:

• Part-time staff who want extra hours
• A retired teacher who subs occasionally
• A parent volunteer (check your state's licensing rules on this)
• Staff from a sister location, if you have one

Put this list on paper. Tape it next to your phone. Update it quarterly. When the 6 AM texts come in, you don't want to be scrolling through contacts — you want to be dialing a number you already know.

What if you genuinely can't get coverage?

This is the hard one. If after all of the above, you're still short:

• Combine classrooms if your state licensing allows it and the combined group stays within ratio. Document it.
• You cover the room yourself. This is what most directors actually do. It's not ideal, but it's legal and it keeps kids safe. Just make sure someone is handling the front desk and parent communication.
• Reduce enrollment for the day. Some centers call parents of part-time kids or late enrollees and ask if they can stay home. This is a last resort, but it's better than a licensing violation.

Now prevent it from being a pattern

Same-day double callouts happen. But if they happen regularly, you have a structural problem, not a luck problem.

Set a capacity limit. Decide the maximum number of staff who can be off on any given day without putting you below ratio. Then enforce it for planned time off. If your max is 2 and 2 people already have approved vacation, a third request for that day gets declined. This doesn't prevent sick days, but it ensures you're never starting the day already short from planned absences.

Make the calendar visible. When staff can see which days already have people off, they naturally avoid requesting the same days. Most scheduling conflicts happen because people can't see what's already committed.

Track the pattern. If the same person calls out every other Monday, that's a conversation — not a scheduling fix. Keep records so you can spot it.