What determines an employee's actual availability for a specific date?

The shifts an employee is scheduled to work are central to determining their actual availability for a specific date. This is because the scheduled shifts outline the times when the employee is committed to working, and therefore, cannot be available for other duties or relief shifts during those hours. If an employee is assigned to work a particular shift, it indicates that they are engaged in their role during that time, thus restricting their ability to take on additional responsibilities or to be available for alternative scheduling on that date.

Other factors, such as the number of hours available for relief shifts, the total assigned shifts, or preferences stated by the employee, may influence overall scheduling or availability considerations, but their actual scheduled shifts provide the definitive answer regarding when they are actively committed.