Narrative:

The situation; chicago ARTCC; northwest area. Every controller available was on position. No extra available. Overtime had been requested -- denied by operations manager. Area scheduled with 7 radar 1 manual for 5 sectors. 1 radar called in sick. Not replaced. Therefore; 6 radar 1 manual for 5 sectors; 5 radar and 2 manual position open. This area for this shift; formerly routinely scheduled 14-15 controllers. Management has reduced staffing to 8 (3 more radar controllers assigned to report at XA00). Staffing critical. Supervisors used on radar; but not regularly (just enough to maintain 'currency' but not necessarily 'proficiency'). Compounding this is air traffic manager micro-management to keep unnecessary sector open -- in this case; sector 71. Not enough controllers!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING NEWLY IMPLEMENTED STAFFING STANDARDS THAT HAVE REDUCED AVAILABLE CTLRS FOR ANY GIVEN SHIFT.

Narrative: THE SIT; CHICAGO ARTCC; NW AREA. EVERY CTLR AVAILABLE WAS ON POS. NO EXTRA AVAILABLE. OVERTIME HAD BEEN REQUESTED -- DENIED BY OPS MGR. AREA SCHEDULED WITH 7 RADAR 1 MANUAL FOR 5 SECTORS. 1 RADAR CALLED IN SICK. NOT REPLACED. THEREFORE; 6 RADAR 1 MANUAL FOR 5 SECTORS; 5 RADAR AND 2 MANUAL POS OPEN. THIS AREA FOR THIS SHIFT; FORMERLY ROUTINELY SCHEDULED 14-15 CTLRS. MGMNT HAS REDUCED STAFFING TO 8 (3 MORE RADAR CTLRS ASSIGNED TO RPT AT XA00). STAFFING CRITICAL. SUPVRS USED ON RADAR; BUT NOT REGULARLY (JUST ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN 'CURRENCY' BUT NOT NECESSARILY 'PROFICIENCY'). COMPOUNDING THIS IS AIR TFC MGR MICRO-MGMNT TO KEEP UNNECESSARY SECTOR OPEN -- IN THIS CASE; SECTOR 71. NOT ENOUGH CTLRS!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.