Delay Classification & Claims
Loss of Productivity (Disruption) Claim
A loss of productivity (or disruption) claim seeks compensation for reduced labor efficiency caused by a disruptive event -- distinct from a schedule delay claim, since a project can be disrupted without necessarily finishing late.
Definition
Disruption and delay are separate concepts frequently confused with each other: a delay claim addresses time (the project or an activity finishing later than planned), while a disruption claim addresses productivity (work costing more labor hours than planned to accomplish, whether or not that translated into a later finish date). Measured mile analysis is the most widely accepted technique for quantifying a loss of productivity claim, since it uses the project's own real, unimpacted performance as the comparison baseline rather than an external estimate.
Example
Trade stacking caused by another contractor's schedule slip doesn't push the finish date (the crew works overtime to stay on schedule), but it does cost significantly more labor hours than planned -- a genuine loss of productivity claim with no accompanying schedule delay claim.