Method, system and program product for filling job orders

• US 20090177518A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frontline Technologies Group LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Frontline Placement Technologies Incorporated (Frontline Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Adams, Greg, Lentz, Nathan, Vilbert, Tom, Thompson, Roland, Julius, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method, system and program product are disclosed for filling job orders, the method comprising: creating electronically a respective commitment reservation for each of a plurality of workers, with each respective commitment reservation comprising a commitment for the respective worker to work on a prospective job not yet created, with the prospective job having one or more job parameters; receiving electronically a job order subsequent to the creation of one of the commitment reservations, the job order specifying a job with one or more job parameters; matching the job parameters of the job in the job order to the job parameters in one or more of the commitment reservations to obtain a reservation-job match; and, securing automatically based on the results of the matching step the job in the job order to one of the workers with a commitment reservation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for filling job orders, comprising:

creating electronically a respective commitment reservation for each of a plurality of respective workers, with each respective commitment reservation comprising a commitment for the respective worker to work on a prospective job not yet created, with the prospective job having one or more job parameters;

receiving electronically a job order subsequent to the creation of one of the commitment reservations, the job order specifying a job with one or more job parameters;

matching electronically the job parameters of the job in the job order to the job parameters in one or more of the commitment reservations to obtain a reservation-job match;

securing automatically based on the results of the matching step the job in the job order to one of the workers with a commitment reservation.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined parameters are selected from the group of position type, worksite, work shift, and date range and time range.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving electronically data indicating that one of the workers did not work on the job secured for that worker; and

generating and sending electronically or making accessible electronically a report with the data that the worker did not work on the job secured for that worker.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving electronically data indicating that one of the workers with a commitment reservation did not work on the job specified secured for that worker; and

preventing electronically the creation of a commitment reservation for the one worker.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the commitment reservation can be made only by an administrator.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the commitment reservation can only be made after receiving an approval electronically from an administrator.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising preventing electronically a number of commitment reservations for one of the jobs from exceeding a predetermined number.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising receiving electronically the predetermined number from or on behalf of a client business that is creating the jobs.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising preventing electronically for one of the workers the creation of a commitment reservation with a time range parameter that overlaps with a time-off period for that one worker.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising preventing electronically for one of the workers the creation of a commitment reservation with a time range parameter that overlaps a time range parameter for a commitment reservation for a different job previously created for that worker.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising assigning the job to one from a plurality of the commitment reservations based on a priority and performing the securing based on this assignment.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the priority is based on selecting a worker with a commitment reservation having a fewest number of hours worked.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

creating automatically a customized web page when one of the workers accesses a web site, the web page listing one or more commitment reservations associated with the worker accessing the web site; and

facilitating display of available jobs that do not completely overlap a time range for one or more of the commitment reservations of the worker accessing the web site.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising

determining that a number of commitment reservations for a job has exceeded a set number for that job;

and

taking an electronic action to prevent the making of further commitment reservations.

15. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising creating electronically for one of the workers a commitment reservation with a date and time range parameter only in a period designated as a willing to work period for that one worker.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

creating electronically a plurality of uncommitted reservations for different prospective jobs with different job parameters for at least one worker, which uncommitted reservation are capable of overlapping in a time range;

determining if a job has not been assigned to any commitment reservations; and

assigning the job that has not been assigned to a commitment reservation to the worker with the uncommitted reservation.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

creating electronically an indication of interest of a worker for one or more different prospective jobs, with each different prospective job having one or more different job parameters, wherein the different prospective jobs have not yet been created; and

receiving electronically a job order, the job order specifying a job with one or more job order parameters;

matching the job order parameters for the job in the job order to one or more of indications of interest for a job by a worker to obtain an interest-job match if the job has not been secured to a worker with a commitment reservation;

receiving a confirmation communication from the worker associated with the interest-job match; and

securing the job to the worker with the interest-job match.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising preventing electronically the creation of a reservation for one of the workers for one of the jobs having a time range parameter that overlaps a time-off period for that one worker.

20. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising securing electronically for one of the workers the job with a date and time range parameter only in a period designated as a willing to work period for that one worker.

21. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein a plurality of reservation-job matches are obtained, and comprising securing the job to a worker for one of the reservation-job matches based on one or more preferences.

32. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising:

receiving information that the electronic action has been taken to place one of the workers on the wait list for a plurality of different jobs, but with at least one of the jobs being designated electronically as preferred; and

generating electronically and serving when the one worker next connects to his/her web page a list of one or more existing jobs that the particular worker is eligible to work, with the job designated as preferred differentiated in the list.

33. The method as defined in claim 1, comprising:

maintaining electronically a listing of an existing assignment of a job for a current worker;

receiving electronically a time-off entry or an absence entry for the current worker that overlaps for a period of time the existing assignment;

creating automatically a vacancy to cover at least the overlap of the period of time for the existing assignment and the time-off entry or absence entry;

receiving electronically a preference for a specific worker to fill the vacancy;

communicating only with the specific worker about the vacancy but only if the vacancy has not been filled with a reservation commitment;

posting the vacancy to one or more other workers only if no acceptance of the vacancy has been received from the specific worker within a predetermined period of time and only if the vacancy has not been filled with a reservation commitment.

34. The method as defined in claim 33, wherein the preference is received from the current worker.

18. A computer-implemented method for filling job orders, comprising:

creating electronically a plurality of uncommitted reservations for different prospective jobs with different job parameters for at least one worker that overlap in a time range, wherein the different prospective jobs have not yet been created;

receiving electronically a job order with job parameters for a job subsequent to the creation of the plurality of reservations;

matching electronically the job parameters for the job in the job order to one of the uncommitted reservations to obtain an uncommitted reservation-job match;

securing automatically the worker with the uncommitted reservation to fill the job based on the results of the matching step; and

preventing electronically securing to the one worker one or more different jobs that overlap in the time range with the job that was secured.

22. A computer-implemented method for creating wait list for display, comprising:

generating electronically when an electronic criterion is met for a particular worker a first list to be communicated electronically of one or more existing jobs that the particular worker is eligible to work;

associating to one of the existing jobs on the first list to be communicated a wait list designator indicating that the particular worker may be placed on a wait list for the associated job that is currently filled by taking a first electronic action;

receiving an electronic communication indicating that the first electronic action has been taken by the particular worker; and

placing electronically the particular worker on the wait list for the job.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

appending in adjacency to one of the jobs on the first list a designator indicating that one of the jobs has become open and may be accepted by the particular worker by taking a second electronic action; and

receiving an electronic communication indicating that the second electronic action has been taken by the particular worker to accept the job; and

securing electronically the job for the particular worker.

24. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

sending an electronic communication to the worker that one of the jobs on the wait list has become open and may be accepted by the particular worker by taking a second electronic action; and

receiving an electronic communication indicating that the second electronic action has been taken by the particular worker to accept the job; and

securing electronically the job for the particular worker.

25. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising preventing inclusion of a job on the first list to be served if the worker has a previous commitment reservation with a time range parameter that overlaps a time range parameter for the job.

26. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising preventing electronically inclusion of a job on the first list to be served if the worker has designated a time off period that overlaps a time range parameter for the job.

27. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising including electronically a job on the first list to be served with a date and time range parameter only in a period designated as a willing to work period for that one worker.

28. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the generating a list step operates to prevent inclusion of a job order on the first list if a number of workers already on the wait list is equal to a predetermined number.

29. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising providing information to be served associated with the job on first list indicating how many workers are currently on the wait list for the job.

30. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the first list is served on a web page customized for the particular worker.

31. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein there are a plurality of workers on the wait list for a particular job, and further comprising:

receiving information that the particular job needs to be filled;

selecting one of the workers on the wait list for the particular job based on at least one criterion;

notifying the worker that the worker was selected for the particular job; and

securing electronically the particular job for the worker.

35. A method of filling job orders, comprising:

receiving electronically a job order specifying a job with a plurality of job parameters including a first pay rate;

filtering electronically to obtain a set of one or more qualified workers that meet the parameters of the job;

communicating electronically the job only to each of the one or more qualified workers;

receiving electronically from the one or more of the respective qualified workers one or more respective bids for the job, each with a respective lowest minimum pay rate to perform the job;

communicating electronically to the respective qualified workers one or more of the respective lowest minimum pay rates received;

facilitating an electronic capability, for each of the one or more of the respective qualified workers, to submit a minimum pay rate in competition with the one or more respective lowest minimum pay rates that are bid; and

securing automatically, at a time after the communication electronically of the one or more respective lowest minimum pay rates, the job to one of the qualified workers based at least in part on the one or more respective lowest minimum pay rates currently communicated at the time of performing the securing.

36. The method as defined in claim 35, wherein a respective lowest received from a plurality of the qualified workers, and wherein the communicating electronically step comprises communicating electronically a plurality of the respective minimum pay rates each coupled with a characteristic, and wherein the securing comprises securing the job to one of the qualified workers based also on the respective characteristic.

37. The method as defined in claim 35, the different characteristic comprises a skill level of the qualified worker.

38. The method as defined in claim 35, wherein the communicating electronically the job comprises posting the job on each of a plurality of respective web pages customized for the respective qualified workers,

wherein the communicating electronically the one or more lowest minimum pay rates comprises posting the one or more lowest minimum pay rates on the plurality of respective web pages customized for the respective qualified workers, and

wherein the communicating electronically the capability comprises serving on the respective web pages for the respective qualified workers the capability to submit a minimum pay rate in competition with the one or more lowest minimum pay rates.

39. The method as defined in claim 35, further comprising after receiving bids from enough workers to fill all of the jobs in the job order, then serving one or more of the qualified workers subsequently accessing their respective web pages a second pay rate for performing the job that is less than the first pay rate.

40. The method as defined in claim 35, wherein only the communicating electronically of the job is only to the individual worker web pages of workers having a reservation commitment recorded electronically for the job.

41. The method as defined in claim 35, further comprising:

calculating electronically a difference between the maximum pay rate for the job and the lowest minimum pay rate at which the job was secured; and

apportioning electronically this difference between an entity that secures the job and a job provider or contractor.

42. The method as defined in claim 35, further comprising:

communicating electronically the minimum pay rate received from another qualified worker that is lower that the lowest minimum pay rate that is communicated and designating that minimum pay rate as the lowest minimum pay rate;

providing electronically a capability for one or more of the qualified workers to submit a minimum pay rate that is lower that the lowest minimum pay rate currently communicated; and

securing automatically the job to one of the qualified workers that has sent the lowest minimum pay rate in the system at the time of performing the securing.

43. A system for filling job orders, comprising:

one or more computers programmed among them if more than one to perform the operations;

creating electronically a respective commitment reservation for each of a plurality of respective workers, with each respective commitment reservation comprising a commitment for the respective worker to work on a prospective job not yet created, with the prospective job having one or more job parameters;

receiving electronically a job order subsequent to the creation of one of the commitment reservations, the job order specifying a job with one or more job parameters;

matching the job parameters of the job in the job order to the job parameters in one or more of the commitment reservations to obtain a reservation-job match;

securing automatically based on the results of the matching step the job in the job order to one of the workers with a commitment reservation.

44. A program product for filling job orders, comprising:

one or more computer readable media, comprising there among if more than one, program code for causing a computer, when executed, to perform the following steps;

creating electronically a respective commitment reservation for each of a plurality of respective workers, with each respective commitment reservation comprising a commitment for the respective worker to work on a prospective job not yet created, with the prospective job having one or more job parameters;

receiving electronically a job order subsequent to the creation of one of the commitment reservations, the job order specifying a job with one or more job parameters;

matching the job parameters of the job in the job order to the job parameters in one or more of the commitment reservations to obtain a reservation-job match;

securing automatically based on the results of the matching step the job in the job order to one of the workers with a commitment reservation.

45. A system for filling job orders, comprising:

one or more computers programmed among them if more than one to perform the operations;

creating electronically a plurality of uncommitted reservations for different prospective jobs with different job parameters for at least one worker that overlap in a time range, wherein the different prospective jobs have not yet been created;

receiving electronically a job order with job parameters for a job subsequent to the creation of the plurality of uncommitted reservations;

matching the job parameters for the job in the job order to one of the uncommitted reservations to obtain a uncommitted reservation-job match;

securing automatically the worker with the uncommitted reservation to fill the job based on the results of the matching step; and

preventing electronically securing to the one worker one or more different jobs that overlap in the time range with the job that was secured.

46. A system for creating wait list display, comprising:

one or more computers programmed among them if more than one to perform the operations;

generating electronically when an electronic criterion is met for a particular worker a first list to be communicated electronically of one or more existing jobs that the particular worker is eligible to work;

associating to one of the existing jobs on the first list to be communicated a wait list designator indicating that the particular worker may be placed on a wait list for the associated job that is currently filled by taking a first electronic action;

receiving an electronic communication indicating that the first electronic action has been taken by the particular worker; and

placing electronically the particular worker on the wait list for the job.

47. A system for filling job orders, comprising:

one or more computers configured among them if more than one to perform the operations;

receiving electronically a job order specifying a job with a plurality of job parameters including a first pay rate;

filtering electronically to obtain a set of one or more qualified workers that meet the parameters of the job;

communicating electronically the job only to each of the one or more qualified workers;

receiving electronically from the one or more of the respective qualified workers one or more respective bids for the job, each with a respective lowest minimum pay rate to perform the job;

communicating electronically to the respective qualified workers one or more of the respective lowest minimum pay rates received;

facilitating an electronic capability for each of the one or more of the respective qualified workers to submit a minimum pay rate in competition with the one or more respective lowest minimum pay rates that are bid; and

securing automatically, at a time after the communication electronically of the one or more respective lowest minimum pay rates, the job to one of the qualified workers based at least in part on the one or more respective lowest minimum pay rates currently communicated at the time of performing the securing.