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- Home
- News Feed
- MEC
- Committees
- ‣See All
- ‣Benefits
- ‣Central Schedule
- ‣Comms
- ‣Contract Interp
- ‣EAP & Pro Standards
- ‣European Affairs
- ‣Government Affairs
- ‣Grievance
- ‣Hotels & Transport
- ‣Human Rights & Equity
- ‣Membership Engagement
- ‣Negotiating
- ‣Reserve
- ‣Retiree Med Plan
- ‣Retirement Board
- ‣Safety, Health & Security
- ‣System Board
- ‣Uniforms
- Councils
- Resources
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MEC Grievance Committee
If you read the prior quarterly update from the MEC Grievance Committee, you may have noted that one of the top reasons Flight Attendants are terminated is sick leave abuse. The company is aggressive in examining sick usage. In our Contract, sick time can only be used when you are actually ill or injured. Section 13.D.1. provides “sick leave pay shall only be granted in cases of actual illness or injury”.
With today’s technology, the company is tracking when sick leave is used in relation to requested PTO, DATV, or vacation. The company takes these trends as an apparent red flag for sick leave abuse. Perceived sick leave abuse is now the most frequent reason for termination cases across the system.
Let's look at three different scenarios that may raise red flags as company perceived sick leave abuse:
- Katie is on Reserve and believes she was called out of order for a next day pairing. She challenges the assignment on a call with Scheduling, however, the assignment is not changed. Katie is planning on working the next morning. While making dinner and meal prepping, Katie cuts her finger, requiring stitches. She calls in sick.
Because Katie called in sick after challenging her assignment, the company may flag the scenario as sick leave abuse. It would be advisable for Katie to keep the documentation from getting stitches in the event the company investigates her sick leave.
- Christopher is on vacation in Peru on a camping trip. The day before he’s scheduled to return he develops a stomach illness, and is unable to return to base for his next pairing two days later. While he does not require medical attention, he instead buys crackers, ginger ale, and anti-nausea meds. He rests for the next few days before he is able to fly home. While he originally gave himself sufficient time to arrive home before his next trip, he now has to call in sick.
Because Christopher called in sick for the next pairing following his vacation, the company may flag it as a potential sick leave abuse as a way to extend his vacation. It is advisable that Christopher keeps the receipts for his ginger ale, crackers, and medicine. Additionally, he should also keep a record of the hotel reservation that shows it was a last-minute booking, rather than a planned vacation extension.
- Thomas is invited to a wedding out of town. In order to attend the wedding Thomas will need to drop his trip. Thomas puts in for PTO, DATV, and lists his pairing for pick up on the trade board. Thomas is unsuccessful in his attempts to drop the trip and plans to miss the wedding. The day of his work trip Thomas hurts his back while placing his suitcase in the car. He is now unable to work and calls out sick
Because Thomas had previously attempted to drop his trip and requested time off but was unable to, the company may view his sick call as abuse of sick leave. It would be advisable for Thomas to seek medical care to substantiate his sick leave should it be questioned by the company.
As a reminder, Section 13.C.5 of the JCBA allows the company to require a flight attendant to provide satisfactory verification of an incapacitating illness from an accredited physician when circumstances suggest that abuse or misuse of sick leave has occurred.
Things Happen
When a Flight Attendant is unable to make a trip for reasons other than their own illness or injury, our Contract has many other options than sick leave. We have Family Medical Leave (Section 15.I.) and KinCare (Section 13.D.7.) for the care of others. We have Personal Leaves (Section 15.D.) We have PTO (Section 7.AA.) and DATV (Section 12.J.). There are additional leave laws in California, Colorado, Illinois and Massachusetts that apply to Flight Attendants, (for questions related to any state specific laws contact your Local Council).
Moreover, during the course of our careers, life happens, which may result in the inability to get to work. Sometimes we mix up the start date for a pairing, forget to make the military time adjustment, or just flat-out forget we had a trip. An occasional Missed Trip is not the end of the world. It is only one more point than a sick call, and may require an explanation to your manager. Honesty IS the best policy by disclosing the nature of the circumstances that caused the Missed Trip. The additional point and documentation of a Missed Trip in your work history is far better than an investigation for sick leave abuse.