How does Sick Leave Make-up work?
A Flight Attendant who calls in sick, whether line holder or reserve, who accessed their sick leave bank will have the ability to restore the sick leave by picking up Sick Leave Reserve Days.
Who will designate Sick Leave Make-up Days and the number of days?
Crew Scheduling will designate the number of days available which will be 1, 2, 3, or 4 days AM/PM blocks.
How many times will there be an opportunity to make up sick leave?
There will be no fewer than four (4) days designated per month. These four (4) days will be designated with at least 24hrs notice. Additional days, if designated, may be declared at any time.
May I choose to sit fewer days of reserve than what I called in for sick ?
Yes. There is a formula and calculation to determine that maximum number of days allowed and you will be able to sit less days to make up your sick leave.
May I pick up Sick Leave Reserve Days on the same day(s) as the trip/reserve day(s) for which I called in sick ?
No, you may not. A Flight Attendant may not pick up available Sick Leave Reserve Day(s) within 24 hrs of reporting sick. If you call in sick and subsequently are able to fly, you will call in well and the provisions of calling in well will apply. For any sick leave used prior to calling in well you will have the opportunity if you choose to utilize the sick leave make-up provisions.
How much time do I have to make up the sick leave?
A Flight Attendant will have the current bid month and up to the next two (2) bid periods to restore sick leave.
What if I am given an assignment which is in excess of my sick leave make-up?
A Flight Attendant who makes up sick leave shall have their sick leave restored to their sick leave bank on a TFP for TFP basis. You shall receive pay and credit for any time flown as sick leave make-up in excess of sick leave restored.
If I pick up Sick Leave Make-up Reserve day am I considered a lineholder or reserve?
Any Flight Attendant who sits Sick Leave Reserve Day(s) shall be considered a Reserve Flight Attendant on that day.
How does this program benefit my sick leave accrual?
In the contract you accrue sick leave based on tfp which is 1tfp sick leave for 10 tfp flown or credited during the month, sick leave will not be accrued on TFP credited for sick leave. If you were to call in sick for a trip that required use of 20 tfp, it would take you 200 tfp to restore it. This rapid accrual allows you to sit 4 days of reserve (in this example) to make up sick leave in a few days what could potentially require months of flying or credit.
Which Section of TA2 will I find provisions regarding Sick Leave Make-up?
Section 16, Sick Leave/On The Job Injury
Jake Jones (SEA LEC Vice President/Negotiating Committee Member) says
It sounds good so far, what did we give up?? Besides earning an extra .5 (calling in sick prior to you flight) for being sick online (if I’m reading that correctly.
Based on the survey results we made changes to important key elements of the contract which are listed. There are minor adjustments and language clean up that will be available once TA2 is presented to the membership for ratification. The committee during the process of negotiating section 32 successfully maintained improvements and minimized the prior concessions to our attendance policy from rejected TA1.
Jake Jones (SEA LEC Vice President/Negotiating Committee Member) says
Don’t understand the accrual rate. Can you explain that a little more? Your last paragraph almost got me there…but then my head was spinning. So if you called out for 20TFp and sat reserve for 4 days…..what did you accrue? Is it 5TFP per day?
Yes, it is 5tfp a day or the greater of what you flew. The examples below are assuming you called in sick and used 20 tfp out of your sick leave bank. So, if you sat sick leave reserve for 4 days, never flying, you would be credited 20 tfp back to your sick leave bank. If you sat sick leave reserve for 4 days, flew 17, you would be credited 20 tfp back to your sick leave bank. If you sat sick leave reserve for 4 days, flew 28tfp, you would be credited 20tfp back to your sick leave bank and paid 8tfp.