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Scheduling (Associate Handbook)

Audience: Associates (contractors)
Last updated: August 2025

Scheduling basics

  • You will be assigned available hours where you can use the office.
  • There will be morning and afternoon/evening shifts available.
  • These shifts will be negotiated between you and admin.
  • You will have regular shifts open in JaneApp where clients can be booked through the website or by admin.
  • Sessions will be booked on the hour.

Session types (services) in JaneApp

In consultation with you, admin will create (or update) your session types in JaneApp.

Session types include:

  • cost
  • length
  • session type description
  • whether the appointment is online or in person
  • whether or not it is bookable online

If you would like a session type added, edited, or deleted, please request this from admin.

Changing your assigned shifts (shared office space)

  • Because we share the office space, changing your assigned shifts requires obtaining permission/approval from admin.
  • If you need to change your regular shifts, contact admin as early as possible so the shared schedule can be coordinated.

In-person shifts

  • If your shift is in person, please arrive 15 minutes before and leave within 15 minutes of your shift ending so another practitioner can use the space.

Booking next sessions (continuity)

  • Make sure to try to book your client’s next session at the end of the current session. This ensures continuity and client retention.
  • In many cases clients will book 2–4 sessions ahead.

Intakes

  • Intakes may be scheduled in your calendar by admin with at least 8 hours of notice.
  • These may be first sessions or free consultations.
  • Please reach out to your new clients prior to your first session:
    • introduce yourself, and
    • give them your email and (if you wish) your phone number.

Blocking time

  • You can use the coffee break function to block off time.
  • However, if you are taking extended time off of a regular shift, please reach out to admin to have your calendar blocked.

If you have a long shift open (e.g., an 8-hour shift) but you only want to see a maximum number of clients within that window (e.g., max 5 clients), once that number has booked, please use the coffee break function to block off the rest of the time so you do not end up overbooked.

Vacation / extended time off (coordination)

  • Vacation / extended time off should be negotiated and confirmed with Katherine in advance.
  • Because we share office space and schedules, please coordinate changes with admin so availability and room usage stay consistent.
  • Note: associates are contractors; time off is handled according to the contractor agreement and clinic policies.

Free consultations

  • You can offer new clients a free consultation by phone, Zoom, or in person in the office, as you and the client prefer.
  • Please advise admin after the consultation to let them know if the client chose to go forward with booking, or not, so we can follow up.
  • Please refer to the script example for how to do a free consultation:

No shows

  • If the client does not show up and does not give 24 hours’ notice for cancelling, they are responsible to pay for the session.
  • Please reach out to the client and politely explain, and ask if they would like to book the next session.

No show for a free consultation

  • If someone doesn’t show up for a free consultation, please reach out to the client and ask if they would like to reschedule.
  • If you don’t want to give them another chance, please reach out to admin and let admin know you will be passing on this intake due to no-show.

When a client cancels or reschedules

When a client cancels or asks to reschedule, proactively help them stay engaged:

  • Ask directly: would they like to reschedule their appointment?
  • Offer to do it for them: can you reschedule it for them while you’re communicating?

Simple script:

“No problem. Would you like to reschedule your appointment? If so, I’m happy to find a new time and reschedule it for you.”

Late cancellations

  • Late cancellations (cancelling within 24 hours of the appointment) are billed at the full rate.
  • Exceptions can be made when it is clinically appropriate and the situation was sudden/unavoidable and the client let you know as soon as possible (e.g., sudden illness; a child becoming suddenly sick; emergencies such as illness, family illness, or death in the family).
  • Ultimately it is up to the clinician whether to make exceptions for late cancellations and no-shows, with the caveat that there may need to be a discussion/negotiation with admin if waiving the 24-hour cancellation policy seems unreasonable or is happening too often.
  • If you waive a fee, please notify admin so billing/tracking stay consistent.

Cancelling an appointment in JaneApp (how-to)

If a client asks to cancel an appointment:

  • Please open the appointment in your schedule and select Cancel.