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MEC Employee Assistance Program/Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson Interviews – June 2024

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our MEC thanks Elizabeth Dillon for the significant role she played in supporting Flight Attendants through her service as MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson.
  • MEC Committee Vice Chairperson Lisa Haugen will succeed Elizabeth as the new MEC Committee Chairperson, with the Vice Chairperson position becoming vacant.
  • Interviews for a new Vice Chairperson will be conducted at the June Regular MEC Meeting.

Our EAP/Professional Standards Committee has evolved incredibly the past few decades, thanks in part to the hard work and dedication of MEC Committee Chairperson Elizabeth Dillon. During her term, she helped develop new programs supporting and advocating for our Flight Attendants, such as the Flight Attendant Addiction Support (FAAS) program, while also coordinating the expansion of EAP and Professional Standards during the growth of our Flight Attendant group and the Alaska/Virgin America merger. We are grateful for Elizabeth’s service and commitment to our Flight Attendants.

As of this month, current MEC Committee Vice Chairperson Lisa Haugen will take over as the new MEC Committee Chairperson. Our MEC is confident that she will continue to provide strong leadership and support for our Flight Attendants. With the transition, this leaves the MEC Committee Vice Chairperson position vacant. Given this position’s significant role and the importance of continued representation, our MEC will conduct interviews for the position at the June Regular MEC Meeting.

Background

The MEC Committee Vice Chairperson of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee is responsible for assisting and working collaboratively with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to assist Members, their families, and partners with personal and work-related problems that could affect or are affecting their health and well-being, on and off the job. 

Additional Information from the MEC Policy Manual

  1. SCOPE
    • The Committee exists to assist any Flight Attendant in any area that affects professional performance by means of a personal discussion, and has a responsibility to those submitting reports, those voluntarily seeking assistance and those brought to their attention by their peers.
    • The Committee will assist members experiencing emotional / psychological, marital/family, alcohol/other drug related, legal or financial problems which are affecting their health and well-being on and off the job.
    • The EAP committee will also address the maintenance of Professional Standards of the airline and serve in an advisory capacity in handling all career-related problems of a professional and ethical nature.  The Committee shall understand Company procedures and encourage people to work through AFA-CWA channels.  The Committee will conduct investigation of problems brought to the Committee and recommend a course of action for the disposition of cases as required.  
  2. POLICY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
    • The MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee shall consist of the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson and the Local EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson from each council.
    • EAP/Professional Standards Committee members will function in accordance with International EAP/PS Committee guidelines.
    • The EAP Resource Manual and EAP Handbook are the written guidelines for Committee structure and functioning. 
    • All matters brought to the Committee’s attention will be handled with utmost confidentiality.
    • AFA-CWA EAP/PS will coordinate and promote cooperation with other employee-represented groups in attempting to resolve conflicts that may arise out of working relationships.
    • EAP/PS will be available to assist any Flight Attendant prior to, or following, a disciplinary process.  The MEC and International EAP/PS discourage a Committee Member from being present in any grievance hearing.
    • EAP/PS does not evaluate performance, accuse or judge, punish, preach nor threaten.
    • EAP/PS will help troubled Flight Attendants when problems affect their personal and professional lives, including referral to appropriate treatment resource or self-help group, and assistance in gaining necessary leave of absence.
    • EAP members are knowledgeable of health and welfare plans as pertains to medical and psychiatric benefits as well as substance abuse issues.
    • EAP members participate in CIRP crew debriefings and operational debriefings when EAP issues are involved.
    • The committee will conduct ongoing education of the membership as to the function, scope and operation of the committee.
    • Each Flight Attendant has a responsibility to exercise reasonable personal efforts to resolve a problem prior to contacting this committee for assistance.
    • Flight Attendants are expected and encouraged to go to EAP/PS to attempt resolution of a conflict through peer efforts, rather than to request action from management.  

Qualifications

  • Current EAP/Professional Standards Committee Member or Chairperson.
  • Adherence to EAP policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
  • Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Google Workspace and Microsoft Office. Ability to use and manage cloud-based telephone platform for call routing and answering.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and take meeting minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate tasks to others as needed, and follow up on assigned tasks.
  • Ability to participate in all required conference calls and video meetings.
  • Ability to attend meetings and in-person activities as required.
  • Ability and willingness to plan, coordinate, participate in, and provide active leadership for committee meetings and training activities.
  • Ability to attend AFA International and other required training as needed.
  • Ability to remain publicly apolitical on internal AFA matters.
  • Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status.
  • Ability to remain in good standing with the company.

Duties

  • Coordinate with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Committee. Collaboratively create and execute a plan that ensures full coverage and equitable distribution of all committee duties and responsibilities on an ongoing basis.
  • Perform the duties of the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson when requested or in their absence.
  • Act on and follow through on directives as established in the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws and AFA Alaska MEC Policy & Procedure Manual. 
  • Working with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson, ensure that Local Committee Chairpersons’ responsibilities are fulfilled. Coordinate with applicable LEC Presidents to provide necessary support, resources, and tools to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
  • Communicate regularly with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to provide status updates. Prepare and send a monthly activity report to the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson for inclusion in the monthly committee report to the MEC.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is eligible for up to 75 TFP per month of Company Business (CB) Flight Pay Loss (FPL) reimbursement, per the contractually negotiated allocation for the MEC EAP Chair/designee (§27.P.3.a).
  • This role involves sharing the responsibility for administrative tasks of the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson on a rotating basis. When on call as the MEC EAP/Professional Standards designee, 24/7 availability and responsiveness are required. Most work can be accomplished remotely.

Working Relationships

With Local EAP/Professional Standards Committees

Frequent interaction with the Local EAP/Professional Committee Chairpersons and Committee Members.

With AFA International EAP

Regular interaction with the AFA International Director of EAP and staff.

With The Master Executive Council           

This position reports to the Master Executive Council. The designated MEC Officer responsible for the committee is the MEC Vice President.

Term of Appointment

The selected candidate will serve the remainder of the unexpired term coinciding with the MEC Officer election cycle, beginning immediately upon selection and concluding on December 31, 2025.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the June Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person or using Google Meet videoconferencing at the candidate’s discretion.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the position itself or any of the associated duties and responsibilities, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

If you have any questions about the expression of interest form or interview process, please contact MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at mecst@afaalaska.org.

Housing & Food Assistance Resources

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

  • Starting a career as a Flight Attendant is more challenging than ever due to low pay rates that haven’t kept up with the cost of living.
  • Many new Flight Attendants face difficulties securing housing and food in expensive cities where they are based.
  • Our EAP Committee has created a new website page with comprehensive information on resources to help Flight Attendants overcome these obstacles.

Starting a career as a Flight Attendant is a significant and challenging life change, especially in today’s industry. The ever-increasing pace of inflation and lagging pay rates that haven’t kept up with the cost of living makes it difficult for many new hires to make ends meet. Finding affordable housing and healthy food options in newly assigned bases, located in some of the most expensive cities in the country, can be overwhelming and stressful for many new Flight Attendants. 

Our Negotiating Committee recognized the need for immediate financial improvements to help Flight Attendants address these challenges, and they approached management for an interim pay increase when negotiations first got underway in late 2022. Unfortunately, management declined even to discuss the request. This is highly disappointing, considering that Flight Attendants are falling further and further behind every day.

We want you to know that if you are struggling, you are not alone, and our EAP Committee is here to help. To assist those currently facing housing and food challenges, we’ve created a new website page with comprehensive information on resources to help Flight Attendants overcome these obstacles. You can find the page by clicking here or through the links section of the EAP Committee page on afaalaska.org. The page provides useful information on affordable housing options, food banks, and other resources to help ease your worries and offer much-needed relief.

We realize that the need for housing and food assistance can be sensitive, and we want to ensure you have a safe, supportive, and confidential environment to access these resources. Our new website page will provide tools and resources to help you overcome these challenges and find comfort and security. If you have any questions or are looking for support, please get in touch with our AFA EAP Committee. Call (949) 470-0493 or find your Local EAP Committee at afaalaska.org/eap.

Housing & Food Assistance Resources

Know the Facts about Microdosing Psychedelics, Including Psilocybin

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Microdosing is a practice where individuals consume very small, sub-perceptual doses of a psychoactive substance, typically a psychedelic compound like psilocybin (found in “magic mushrooms”) or LSD. These doses are much lower than what would be needed to induce a full-blown psychedelic experience. Recently, researchers, doctors and patients alike have been turning to microdosing to evaluate if this practice can have positive effects on mental health, mood and cognition struggle. However, all consumers, especially safety sensitive employees like Flight Attendants, should be aware of the below cautions and concerns.

  1. Legal Issues: In many countries and states, psilocybin is illegal, and possessing or using it, even in small amounts, can lead to legal consequences. Even though some US states have legalized psilocybin, it is still considered a Schedule 1 substance at the federal level (just like marijuana).
  2. Lack of Standardization: Psilocybin content in magic mushrooms can vary significantly between species and even individual mushrooms. This makes it difficult to accurately control dosage, potentially leading to unintended and unpredictable effects. Obtaining a reliable source of psilocybin for microdosing can be challenging. Ensuring the quality and purity of the substance is also crucial to avoid potential contaminants or impurities.
  3. Interactions with Medications: Psilocybin may interact with certain medications, including antidepressants and antipsychotics. These interactions can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous, leading to serious health consequences. Psychological Effects: While the doses in microdosing are sub-perceptual, some individuals may still experience unwanted psychological effects such as anxiety, paranoia, or mood swings.
  4. Dependency and Tolerance: There is a potential for developing a tolerance to psilocybin with regular microdosing, meaning that over time, one might need to increase the dose to achieve the same effects.
  5. Misuse and Self-Medication: Microdosing is often promoted as a remedy for various mental health issues. Using it as a substitute for proper mental health treatment can delay or prevent individuals from seeking necessary help from qualified professionals.
  6. Undesirable Physical Effects: Even though micro-doses are sub-perceptual, there can be mild physical side effects, such as nausea, headaches, and gastrointestinal discomfort.
  7. Individual Variability: Responses to microdosing can vary greatly among individuals. What works well for one person may not have the same effects for another, and some people may experience adverse effects.

If you are struggling with a well-being issue, please reach out to your AFA EAP Committee for access to evidence-based treatments. Your Local EAP Committee can be reached using the contact information at afaalaska.org/eap or by calling (949) 470-0493. Remember, all calls are confidential.

Personal Strategies For Managing The Anniversary Of September 11th 

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Anniversaries of tragedies can be difficult times for many people.  For some, the anniversary of 9/11 continues to be a powerful reminder of loss.  For others, who thought they had put the tragedy behind them, the anniversary may produce unexpected anxiety or grief. The anniversary and the media replay of that day’s losses may stir strong emotions and difficult memories in many of us.  But there are ways to cope:

  • Observe the anniversary in a way that’s comfortable for you.  Connecting with others who shared your impact, getting involved in memorial activities and talking about the events of that day are all important coping strategies, but taking time to be by yourself – to think and reflect – can be helpful and healing as well.
  • Limit television and social media as much as possible.  The visual images of the losses that day can prompt especially strong reactions.  Be prepared to take a digital vacation or frequent time-outs  in and around the anniversary to minimize or all together avoid these visual triggers. 
  • If you start to feel overwhelmed, talk with a friend, family member, or your AFA EAP.  Often, talking about your fears and feelings is enough to relieve stress and realize that other people share your feelings.  Taking action is a sign of strength and self-awareness.
  • Recall other times you’ve experienced strong emotions.  Identify which coping strategies have worked for you in the past, and use them.
  • Don’t compare yourself to how others around you appear to be dealing with the September 11th anniversary.  Everyone experiences and copes with stress differently.  Try not to judge people’s emotions by their outside appearance.
  • If you have strong feelings that haven’t or won’t go away, seeking help from a professional may prove useful.  Your AFA EAP can provide you with referrals.
  • Share this information with a flying partner who may be struggling with the upcoming anniversary.

However you choose to structure your day this September 11th or however it just naturally unfolds, please remember that your AFA EAP Committee Members welcome being a part of it. We’re just a phone call away.  

Please call AFA Alaska EAP at (949) 470-0493 for assistance or contact your Local AFA EAP Committee listed at afaalaska.org/eap.

Mental Health Awareness Month

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
  • Our AFA EAP Committee wants to share a few reminders about mental health, mental illnesses, and available support.
  • You can reach out to your local AFA EAP Committee Members for assistance in connecting with a professional or addressing concerns, for yourself or a loved one.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Can your mental health change over time?

Yes, it’s important to remember that a person’s mental health can change over time, depending on many factors.  When the demands placed on us exceed our resources and coping abilities, our mental health could be impacted. 

How common are mental illnesses?

Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness. About 1 in 25 U.S. adults lives with a serious mental illness, such as major depression.

What causes mental illness?

There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as:

  • Adverse Childhood experiences such as trauma or a history of abuse 
  • Experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes
  • Biological factors or chemical imbalances in the brain
  • Use of alcohol or drugs
  • Having feelings of loneliness or isolation

How can you protect and support your own mental well-being?

Evaluate your mental well-being on a routine basis just like you are advised to do for your physical health. Your AFA EAP can help you connect with a professional to assist you with that process or to address any concerns you may have about your or a loved one’s mental health.  Your local AFA EAP Committee Members can be found on the EAP Committee page of the AFA Alaska website or you can call (949) 470-0493.

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