All first day, short notice (illness or accident) employee absences shall be filled by the most senior employee(s) not scheduled that day who are not already scheduled for five (5) days in the week of the absence.  On second and subsequent days of confirmed absence due to illness, accident or for any other reason, the hours shall be scheduled by seniority.

It is agreed that in recognition of the Employer’s difficulties in re-scheduling on “short notice” illnesses and also the resulting frustrations and disruption suffered by present employees continually having their posted schedules changed, all first-day, short-notice illnesses or accident employee absences of pre-ratification-1997 (November 23, 1997) employees shall be filled by pre-ratification-1997 (November 23, 1997) employees not scheduled that day, or in the event there are no unscheduled employees.  On the second and subsequent days of confirmed absence due to illness, accident or for any other reason, the hours shall be scheduled as per present practice.

“Short notice” is defined as when an employee notifies the Employer shortly before the beginning of his/her shift that he/she shall not be at work that day as a result of accident, illness or injury.  Short notice also covers any calls that the store receives after 6:00 p.m. the afternoon prior to scheduled shifts that start before noon the following day.  This agreement anticipates “short notice” to mean notice given within a few hours of the shift commencing, which would result in the management of the store experiencing extreme difficulties in finding a replacement in the normal method, without changing the schedule.

Basically, “short notice” delineates a time period familiar to the parties and construed to be a day.