# Handing off and swapping shifts

Give a shift to a coworker or swap it for one of theirs from the app. Your coworker accepts, then a manager approves before anything changes.

For: Employees, Managers · On: iOS, Android, Web · [Help Center](https://www.mays.app/help) › [Scheduling](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling) · Last updated October 8, 2026 · Mays Team

Can't work a shift and know who can? Offer it to that coworker as a **hand-off** (they take it) or a **swap** (you take one of theirs). They accept, then a manager approves.

Nothing changes on the schedule until the manager approves. Until then, you're still on your shift.

## Offer a shift

1. In the app, go to **Schedule** and find the shift under **Upcoming shifts**.
2. Tap **Hand off**. (On iPhone you can also press and hold the shift and choose **Hand off to a coworker**.)
3. At the top, choose **Hand off** or **Swap**.
4. **Hand off:** tap the coworker's name (on Android, their **Hand off** button). The offer is sent straight away.
5. **Swap:** tap the coworker (on Android, **Choose**), then pick one of their shifts under **Take one of …'s shifts** (on Android, its **Swap** button). You can pick from their shifts in the same week as yours and the week after.
6. You'll see **Handoff offered** or **Swap offered** — *Your manager will approve once your coworker accepts.*

![The Hand off shift sheet in the app with Hand off selected, the note Give this shift away. You get nothing back., and Pick a coworker listing Ava Admin, Emma North, Owen South and Sam South, with Search coworkers at the bottom](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/help__shift-trades__01-hand-off-sheet.08c00ec442.png)

The list has everyone at your location — search it with **Search coworkers**. There's no message field, so tell your coworker why if you like.

Your shift then shows *Hand-off to … — waiting for them to accept*, and later *— waiting on manager approval*. Tap **Cancel offer** to withdraw it any time before the manager decides.

## When a coworker offers you a shift

You get a notification, and the red number on **Shift offers** goes up.

1. Tap **Shift offers** on the **Schedule** tab.
2. Each offer shows who's asking, the shift (for a swap, **You get:** and **You give up:**) and its label.
3. Tap **I'll take it** (or **Swap**) to accept, or **No thanks**.

![Shift offers in the app: Owen South wants to hand off a shift, Wed Oct 7 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Closer, with the warning You already work Wed Oct 7, 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM and You can still accept — your manager decides., and the No thanks and I'll take it buttons](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/help__shift-trades__02-shift-offers.aba4adff23.png)

If you already work at that time, the offer says so — you can still accept, and your manager decides. Once you accept, the offer leaves your list; you'll hear back when the manager approves or declines.

## For managers

Trades wait in the approvals inbox under **Shift trades** — **Scheduling → Approvals** on the web, **Schedule → Approvals** in the app.

- A trade still waiting for the coworker shows **Waiting on …** and has no buttons.
- Once the coworker accepts, it shows *Coworker accepted — confirm to reassign the shift* (on the web) or *Coworker accepted* (in the app), with **Approve** and **Decline**.
- If either person would end up on overlapping shifts, the card names them and the clashing shift, then *You can still approve this.*
- If several people asked for the same shift, the card says so — approving one cancels the others.

Approving moves the shift (both shifts, for a swap) to the new person, and both people are told. Their calendars follow at the next refresh. See [The approvals inbox](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/approvals-inbox).

Managers get a **Shift trade to approve** notification once the coworker accepts — that's when there's a decision to make (*Emma North agreed to take Owen South's Wed, Oct 7 shift. Approve or decline in Approvals.*). The **Approvals** count in the app goes up at the same time. Everyone at the location whose role can build the schedule gets it, including custom roles with **Build & manage native schedule**.

## Notifications

| Who | When | Notification |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The coworker | A hand-off is offered | *… wants to hand off a shift* |
| The coworker | A swap is offered | *… wants to swap shifts* — with the shift they'd take and the one they'd give up |
| Managers | The coworker accepts | **Shift trade to approve** |
| You | Your coworker accepts | **Trade accepted** |
| You | Your coworker says no | **Shift trade declined** |
| Both of you | The manager approves or declines | **Trade approved** or **Trade declined** |

## Good to know

- **One request per shift.** If you've already dropped a shift or offered it to someone, cancel that first (*You already have an open request for this shift. Cancel it first.*). That includes a shift a coworker asked for in a swap — answer their offer first (*A coworker has asked for this shift in a swap. Decline that offer (or wait for your manager to decide on it) first.*).
- **Not once it has started.** You can hand off, swap or drop a shift up to the moment it starts (*That shift has already started — it can no longer be traded.*).
- **Offers expire** when the shift starts — nothing changes.
- **Manager approval is always required** for hand-offs and swaps.
- **Working at more than one location?** The coworker list is the shift's own location, so a shift at your second store lists that store's people. You can only hand off or swap with someone who works at the shift's location — anyone else is refused with *You can only hand off or swap with a coworker at the same location.* (Older versions of the app list the coworkers at the first location on your profile, whatever the shift — update the Mays app.)
- Employees trade shifts in the app only; managers approve on the web or in the app.
- Turn these notifications on or off under **Profile → Notifications → Shift pool & trades** — see [Notifications](https://www.mays.app/help/mobile-apps/push-notifications).

## Related articles

- Scheduling: [Open shifts and dropping a shift](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/open-shifts) — Pick up extra shifts from Open shifts in the app, or drop a shift so a coworker can take it — your manager approves every claim.
- Scheduling: [Your schedule in the app](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/my-schedule-on-mobile) — The Schedule tab in the Mays app shows your upcoming shifts, lets you confirm them, and opens open shifts, shift offers, time off, availability, your hours and the team schedule.
- Scheduling: [The approvals inbox](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/approvals-inbox) — One place for everything your team is waiting on you for — shift claims, trades, the shift pool, time off and availability.
- Scheduling: [Building the weekly schedule](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/build-the-schedule) — Build a location's week on the web — add, move, copy and edit shifts, add open shifts, and keep an eye on time off, availability and labor cost while you work.
- Mobile apps: [Notifications](https://www.mays.app/help/mobile-apps/push-notifications) — Mays notifies you in the app about shifts, tasks, approvals and chat. See them all under the bell, choose which ones reach your phone, and fix notifications that don't arrive.
- Scheduling: [Calendar sync — see your Mays schedule in your own calendar](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/calendar-sync) — Subscribe to your shifts, the full schedule or events from Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook — and what to do when they don't refresh.

## Still need help?

Send us a support request and a real person on the Mays team will get back to you.

[Contact support](https://www.mays.app/contact?topic=support) · [Call +1 (561) 286-3939](tel:+15612863939)

Canonical: https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/shift-trades