Arbiter and the Over-riding of Blocks.
 

Mark, Jr., had a certain weekend in March "blocked" for all of the assigning groups the he either officiates basketball or umpires baseball or softball because he will be out-of-town for a wedding. And yet, this afternoon he receives an assignment for that weekend. When he contacted the assigner as to why he over-rode the "block" the assigner told him that he did not over-ride the "block" because it showed that he was note "blocked" yet Mark, Jr.'s Arbiter account should that he was "blocked" for the entire weekend.

Has anyone had this problem before? Thanks.

MTD, Sr.

Sounds like a question for Arbiter.

I think that assigners can override blocks unless the official makes them firm. This may have been MTD, Jr.'s problem, as it was mine last week.

Here is what arbiter has to say:

A “firm” block is one that your assigner cannot override when making assignments. Normally, an assigner can still make an assignment even if you have a date blocked. They simply are notified that you’ve set a block, but they can still assign you. Marking blocks as firm prevents your assigner from overriding a blocked date or time.

After you have blocked a date, select view schedule in the action section.
Click on the date and the lower portion of the screen will show you the blocks that have been set on that date.
Click the edit pencil to the left-side of the block.
Check the box in the firm column then click the blue floppy disk icon to save.

100% Correct
 

As an assigner who uses arbiter the above post is 100%. If you are closed, I see a red "B" next to your name ( green if you are open ). However, I can assign you to any game even if you show blocked.

Well, it is possible that he could have had his blocks not "shared." That has been a problem for some around here in the past as we have several accounts for different groups. That being said, if he said he was blocked and the assignor gave him a game anyway, he can simply turn down the game. He has a wedding and it is some time out too. If they cannot understand that, they have bigger issues. I get that assignors want their games covered, but people have lives.

Peace

I help assign for a large area and am unaware of a "firm" block. The ability to override basically any block exists. You can see a list of officials, available officials, potential officials, and issue summary. Basically it tells you the reason that they are blocked. Generally assignors call the person and ask if they can override the block and assign them, but not everyone follows this protocol.

sdoebler, you may be right, but this is a direct quote (with emphases added) from the arbiter website:

"A 'firm' block is one that your assigner cannot override when making assignments. Normally, an assigner can still make an assignment even if you have a date blocked. They simply are notified that you’ve set a block, but they can still assign you. Marking blocks as firm prevents your assigner from overriding a blocked date or time."

I only learned about firming blocks after several years of being on arbiter. Mark, is Junior aware of this capability?

Do you have a screen shot of how it works? Makes sense and would be useful have just never seen it.

About 6-8 weeks ago, I discovered when I got a game for a time I was "blocked" that most of my partial day blocks had disappeared.

At first I thought I did something stupid, but the full day blocks remained and partial day blocks remained on days I had accepted games for.. so I can't figure out how I could have done it.

Kevin

Screen shots are another technology I'm not good at. Try this--go to this page on arbiter: https://arbitersports.force.com/offi...Dates-and-Time

Scroll down about half way, to a section entitled Making Blocks "Firm" and Making Notes on Blocks

Essentially, you view the schedule, click on the date you want to firm up, click on the pencil on the left, then the firm box on the right, and then click on the blue disk to save your firm block.

Wow thank you. Never seen this before and very useful. Not sure that anyone in our association is aware.

The Snipping Tool has been a feature of any Windows computer since Windows 7 I believe. Click on your start menu and start typing "Snipping" and it will show up. It's very simple to use. Click the "New" button and drag-select the boxed area that you want to take a shot of. There's some nice highlight and marker tools if you want to draw attention to something. Then, click File...Save.

If you are using OSX, I'm sure there's a similar option. But, you won't catch me trying to find it. :p

Thanks for all the help and information.

One thing that I want to get off my chest: A "block" means a "block"; adding a "firm block" is absolute nonsense. If the assigner wants to over ride the "block" then he needs to either call, text, or email the official and ask him.

MTD, Sr.

I agree, Mark. But it's another manifestation of arbiter's hierarchy, where officials are an afterthought, a necessary evil. Want to set travel limits? Only if the assigner permits. Want to block partners, schools or teams? Only if the assigner permits. Want to see your evaluations? Only if the assigner permits.

Kind of reminds me of the scene from “A Few Good Men”, which I paraphrase:

Jo: I object.
Judge: Overruled.
Jo: Well then I strenuously object!





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+1

This is the most absurd thing I've heard in a while. But I just checked it out on the site and it's all there, as others have described. Ridiculous.

Each summer, I set up partial-day blocks for the coming academic year based on my Monday-Friday work schedule. At some point this fall, I accepted a game and noticed all of my partial-day blocks I set for the 2018-19 season had disappeared as well :eek:. I replaced them as quickly as I could and wondered what happened.

Apparently, it wasn't just me. Now, I'm curious if there was some sort of glitch in Arbiter.

I forgot to mention one of the most egregious examples of how arbiter is designed for everyone's benefit but ours, the officials: you can't remove yourself from an account; only the assigner can do that.

When Is A Block Not A Block ...
 

I understand the difference between block and a firm block from the assigner's side, one provides more flexibility, but for an official, what's the difference? Why would I have a need for both?

If I have a doctor's appointment, family event, church event, vacation, tickets to a sports event, or a concert, etc., I block for those reasons. As far as I'm concerned those are firm blocks.

Why would I have a need for something less than a firm block?

Come to think of it, I've also had a few experiences with less than firm blocks being assigned to me. Our Arbiter assignments build in a ninety minute travel "delay". Back when I was working, I indicated that I would not be able to leave work before 5:00 p.m., yet I often received assignments at 6:00 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. Once I even got an assignment at 5:30 p.m. (ten minutes from work). No big deal, I tried to sneak out a few minutes early, but maybe that's the reason for the "flexible" blocks.

https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.r...=0&w=198&h=170

"Why would I have a need for something less than a firm block?"

Billy, you illustrate my point, especially as many officials apparently are unaware of the "firm block" option. In my view, arbiter is set up primarily to facilitate assigners' work, and not equally to assist officials in managing their schedules.

Think of a block as "I don't really want to work then, but if the assignor is in a bind, I might be able to"....and a firm block is "I am on vacation, or otherwise 100% unavailable".

But I agree - when I first started, I thought a block was a block!

When a block was overridden on my site, I just decline the game. I am blocked for a reason. I do not have to explain that block. If that is a problem, I will not be doing too many games for that person. Or they will have to get over their problem.

Peace

For many years, we had one assigner who dominated the assignment field in this region. Not only was he extremely vindictive, but he was also less than understanding. His dictatorial reign continued for the first several years of arbiter, until he died, several years ago.

Things are better now: our assigners honor "soft" blocks and understand if there is a mix-up.

Thank goodness that we are not assigned games on blocked dates here. If there is a bind we simply get an e-mail asking if anyone can open up their calendar.

I shouldn’t have to make a block “firm.” If I’m blocked, I’m blocked, and it’s not really an assigner’s business why.

The Lateset Craze ...
 

While it appears our assigner may play around a little with built in ninety minute travel times, I'm not aware of him totally ignoring blocks.

Otherwise, same here, email blasts during flu season when he has lots of reschedules due to illnesses and snow postponements (or the latest craze, cold postponements).

As an assigner, I not only give my officials access to the blocks and travel limit sections, but I feel all assigners should do this. Each official should be allowed to have full access to Arbiters blocks sections. It makes the assigners jobs easier for crying out loud.

I do not use the evaluation tools within Arbiter at all, so I don't give my officials access to a blank page. If I have an issue arise with the official or with the school I use email to document the situation and have a record of the interaction (thankfully I have only had a few issues in my years as an assigner).

As for the ides of blocks, over riding blocks and making changes. I always assume if there is a block for an official of mine, it is a firm block. If I absolutely need an official who has a block for that contest I will email the official and ask if I can assign them to an event and override the block.

My biggest pet peeve is when assigners just decide to change an assignment without contacting the official about it. I may have planned some other aspect of my life around a specific assignment and location (dinner with friends, date, other work). When an assigned just decides to change my assignment at the last minute without asking I find that disrespectful of my time as an official and have told several assigners that to their face. If I need to move an official I will email the official and ask permission. If an assigner wants to move me I just ask that they give me that courtesy as well. Normally I am flexible with switching assignments, but I feel I should be asked first before I am just switched.

Some? There have been several this year. One of them we had during volleyball season was all the sites for our assigner somehow ended up being at one venue. The AD couldn't figure out why all of the sudden volleyball matches from a hundred miles away were in his gym, or why he had 100 matches in his gym at the same time.

The one I found was similar, the site was ok, but the sub site was switched. Difficult to have a swim meet inside the gym.

On The Floor ...
 

Sorry to dredge this one up, but anyone know if there's a way to make Site or Partner blocks "firm"?

I've known about the "firm block" function for dates/times for a few seasons -- and I make all my blocks firm now -- but there doesn't appear to be that option for other categories of blocks.

A friend of mine also on the firm-block wagon just got an assignment at a site he's had blocked for more than a year.

Simply put....No. You can't "firm block" sites or partners.