Scheduling system does not allow setting unavailability for shifts that are rostered but not yet released to employees, forcing workers to find cover for shifts they were never available for.

Deputy does not allow employees to mark unavailability for shifts that are assigned privately (unreleased) before they become public, so employees cannot proactively block out times they cannot work.

Severity

3Medium

Willingness to Pay

implied

Added

Apr 27, 2026

Workarounds Described

requires me to find a cover when I was never available in the first place

Implied Software Gaps

Scheduling software that allows employees to set unavailability that overrides unreleased shifts

App Concept

AvailabilityGuard

AvailabilityGuard is a smart scheduling add-on that lets employees set unavailability in advance, overriding any unreleased shifts. It integrates with existing rostering software to prevent conflicts before shifts are published, reducing the need to find coverage.

Key Features

Pre-emptive unavailability override for unreleased shifts
Real-time sync with rostering software like Deputy
Employee self-service portal for availability management
Automated notification to managers when conflicts arise

Target Users: Shift workers and their managers in industries with dynamic rostering (e.g., retail, hospitality, healthcare) of small to medium-sized businesses

Revenue Model: $5/mo per user SaaS subscription, or $100/mo per company for teams up to 50 users

Existing Solutions Mentioned

Deputy

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