Furlough Hardship Return Request
Each time the company initiates an unscheduled recall, AFA adamantly advocates for a voluntary recall process to be offered to all Flight Attendants prior to enforcing a straight recall in inverse seniority order. The company has repeatedly refused to consider such a process.
As the company continues its process for the unscheduled recall from voluntary furlough, AFA would like to remind all Members on voluntary furlough of Section 21.A.3.f., which provides Flight Attendants with the ability to request a return to work “for personal reasons due to hardship, with the approval of the company.” The company has told us that in order to be considered for a hardship return in conjunction with this unscheduled recall from furlough, requests should be submitted by September 23, 2004 to WHQLR, attention Glenn Scoggins.
The company requires that hardship requests of any type be fully documented. If applying for a hardship, we have experienced that the company will require that the hardship should have developed since the start of the furlough. They have also required that the documentation of hardship include items such as proof of seeking other employment, bank statements, list of debt, divorce certificate, death certificate, medical records, and a full explanation of the applicable documentation. The company will retain all requests to return from furlough for review after September 23, 2004 and will advise Flight Attendants of the status of the hardship request between October 1st and 15th. Please contact your local AFA Council office for assistance if you believe you would qualify for such consideration.
