AFA Alaska

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

Click here to report an issue to AFA
Menu
  • Local Councils
    • Anchorage (Council 30)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Los Angeles (Council 18)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Portland (Council 39)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • San Diego (Council 15)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Seattle (Council 19)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • San Francisco (Council 35)
      • Officers
      • Committees

    • More About Local Councils >>
    Close
  • Master Executive Council
    • Officers
    • Close
  • Committees
      • Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC)
        • Air Quality
      • Benefits
      • Communications
      • Employee Assistance Program & Professional Standards
      • Government Affairs
      • Grievance
      • Hotel
      • Human Rights
      • Inflight Service
      • Inflight Training
      • Membership
      • Reserve
      • Retirement
      • Scheduling
        • Pairing Construction
        • Preferential Bidding System (PBS)
      • Uniform

    • More About Committees >>
    Close
  • Contract
      • Contract Home
        • Current Contract
        • Ask Contract Questions
      • Contract Resources
        • Read Contract Q&A
        • Explanatory Videos
      • Contract Negotiations
        • The Negotiating Process
        • 2014 Negotiating Committee
    • Close
  • Resources
      • Issues & Campaigns
        • Flight Attendant Fatigue
      • Newsroom
        • Industry News
      • Event Calendar
      • Membership Services
      • New Members
      • About
      • Links
      Close
    • Contact Us
    • Contract Extension 2021
    You are here: Home / Latest News / Staffing Adjustment Leave of Absence Health Benefits Coverage and Vacation Accrual

    Staffing Adjustment Leave of Absence Health Benefits Coverage and Vacation Accrual

    December 3, 2015 17:00

    There is some confusion regarding continuation of health benefits coverage and vacation accrual while on a Staffing Adjustment Leave of Absence (or “Staffing Leave”/”Staffing Adjustment Leave” for ease of reference). Hopefully this will answer some of the questions that have been raised.

    Continuation of heath benefits coverage

    As stated in the Informational Bulletins that are posted when Staffing Adjustment Leaves are offered, health benefits coverage will end on the first day of an awarded Staffing Leave—with an exception. If a F/A has a trip that overlaps from the prior month to the awarded leave month, the Staffing Leave begins on the first day following the overlap.   This means your pairing must have some duty that touches the awarded leave month. (However, keep in mind that in order to not have your vacation accrual reduced by 1/12 you must have some paid time in the leave month. That requires duty beginning after midnight in the leave month rather than duty simply touching the leave month.)

    For example, if a trip begins on the final day of the prior bid month, and overlaps into the second day of the leave month, the leave would officially begin on third of the month. Since the overlap would result in Worked TFP during the month of the staffing leave, health benefits coverage would continue throughout the remainder of the month.

    If no overlap trip exists, health benefits coverage will lapse on the first of the month and a COBRA packet will be sent.  There are several options in this case:

    1. Complete the COBRA paperwork and submit it along with the appropriate payment to continue health care coverage.
    1. If the leave is only one month, complete the COBRA paperwork and mail it in promptly.  If health care expenditures during the leave are less than the amount of the COBRA payment, there is no need to pay the payment.
    1. Secure other coverage in the marketplace, or through a convenient union supported health care portal such as Working America Health Care (a joint partnership between Working America and Union Plus); their phone number for AFA members is 866-961-3297.
    1. If you have other coverage, there is no need to complete the COBRA paperwork.

    If you have Recurrent Training or other Company required training during a Staffing Adjustment LOA, your health care coverage will re-start on the first day of training and continue through the end of the bid month.

    We have been told that if the leave is 30 days or more, it will be necessary to call the Benefits Portal number (AON) when you return to work in order to restart your health care benefits. This is a fairly new procedure.

    Vacation accrual

    Vacation accrues each month that a F/A has paid TFP for that month. If there is no pay for the month, vacation accrual is reduced by one-twelfth (1/12).

    If there is an overlapping trip, vacation will accrue during the leave month.

    Scheduled vacation during a leave of absence is not automatically paid, and does not automatically result in vacation accrual for the following year.  For vacation during a Staffing Adjustment Leave of Absence, there are two options:

    1. Vacation days can be manually traded to later available days.  First it is necessary to find available open vacation time, and then call Crew Administration to request the trade to be processed due to the leave status.
    1. You may request that any of your awarded vacation days be paid to you on either the fifth (5th) or twentieth (20th) paycheck while you are on a Staffing Adjustment Leave.  The request must be made no later than seven days prior to the selected pay date. If you have requested that you receive vacation pay during the month of the Staffing Adjustment Leave, this will prevent your vacation accrual from being reduced by 1/12 for that month.

    * * *

    Questions? Contact one of your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers (ANC 30 | SEA 19 | PDX 39 | LAX 18 | SAN 15).

    In solidarity,

    Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Benefits & Retirement Chairperson Terry Taylor

    AFA-Alaska-Logo-Transparent-Background

    Print Friendly, PDF & Email

    Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: 2015, Benefits, health care, insurance, leave of absence, staffing, vacation

    Need Help?

    Have an issue or concern to report to AFA?  Click here to access the AFA Alaska online support center.

    Connect with Us on Facebook

    Connect with Us on Facebook

    Follow Us on Twitter

    Tweets by AFAAlaska

    Latest News

    • AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 14, 2021
    • AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 9, 2021
    • AFA Alaska Special Negotiations Update – Potential One-Year Contract Extension
    • Council 15 Spring Updates
    • Council 35 News March 2021
    • AFA Update – March 19, 2021
    • Council 35 News February 2021
    • AFA Update – February 19, 2021
    • Presidents’ Day Weekend 2021 Pacific Northwest Snowstorm
    • AFA Special Update – February 1, 2021

    Latest News

    AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 14, 2021

    April 14, 2021 17:31

    AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 14, 2021 Master Executive Council (MEC) In This Edition Last Chance to Register for Tonight’s Virtual Roadshow! 2nd Virtual Roadshow Recording Posted (w/ Special Guest Panelists) Video Message from AFA International President Sara Nelson Posted Voting Eligibility While on Extended Leave Last Chance to Register […]

    AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 9, 2021

    April 9, 2021 15:00

    AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 9, 2021 Master Executive Council In This Edition First Virtual Roadshow Recording and Transcript Posted Second Virtual Roadshow and Special Guest Panelists First Virtual Roadshow Recording and Transcript Posted The first virtual roadshow session took place earlier today, Friday, April 9th at 10am PT via […]

    AFA Alaska Special Negotiations Update – Potential One-Year Contract Extension

    April 8, 2021 11:00

    In This Edition Tentative Agreement for a One-Year Contract Extension Contract Extension 2021 Webpage Tentative Agreement for a One-Year Contract Extension Master Executive Council Earlier this week, AFA and Alaska Airlines management reached an agreement in concept on a one-year extension to the contract. Your Local Executive Council (LEC) presidents, who are the directly elected […]

    AFA Update – March 19, 2021

    March 19, 2021 17:00

    In This Edition How the First Amendment Applies in the Workplace Benefits Enrollment Upon Returning from a Leave of Absence (including EVF or ELOA) What’s the Difference Between a Fear and a Phobia? REMINDER: Scholarship Opportunities How the First Amendment Applies in the Workplace Grievance Committee The Grievance Committee is hearing a lot of chatter […]

    AFA Update – February 19, 2021

    February 19, 2021 12:00

    In This Edition COVID Vaccine Information for Flight Attendants REMINDER: Scholarship Opportunities Free Training to Former Cabin Crew Transitioning into Job Market Relaxation Exercises – An Essential Tool for Flight Attendants COVID Vaccine Information for Flight Attendants Master Executive Council (MEC) On February 10, AFA International published an AFA Interactive e-mail newsletter with an overview […]

    Top Posts & Pages

    • Contract Extension 2021
    • Contact Us
    • Contract
    • AFA Alaska Special Negotiations Update – Potential One-Year Contract Extension
    • Hotel Committee
    • Master Executive Council (MEC)
    • Contract Extension Voting Information
    • AFA Alaska Contract Extension 2021 Tentative Agreement Update – April 14, 2021
    • Contract Extension Blog
    • Portland - Council 39

    Local Councils

    • Anchorage
    • Los Angeles
    • Portland
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
    • Seattle

    Master Executive Council

    • MEC

    Contract

    • Contract Home

    Committees

    • Air Safety, Health, & Security
    • Benefits
    • Communications
    • EAP/Professional Standards
    • Government Affairs
    • Grievance
    • Hotel
    • Inflight Service
    • Reserve
    • Retirement
    • Scheduling
    • Uniform

    News By Month

    News By Category

    Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX EAP/Professional Standards Committee Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Want To Stay In The Loop?

    The best way to stay connected with up-to-date AFA Alaska news and information is through a subscription to AFA Alaska emails!  Click the button below to sign up.  Already a subscriber?  You can make changes to your email by clicking below!
    Sign Up

    Connect With AFA

    • Contact Us
    • Online Support Center
    • AFA International
    • CWA
    • AFA Alaska Social Media Guidelines
    • AFA-CWA Mutual Respect Policy

    Copyright © 2013-2021 Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO