AMR canning pilot's who abuse sick leave

[igneousy2]

Here's an example of how AMR management "manages" employees suspected of abusing sick time. Bear in mind, I was never a pilot at AA.

I received a letter, via certified mail, regarding five sick incidents in the previous 12 months. My supervisor was new and I was assigned to her group. I detailed the five incidents. Two were out-patient surgeries for ingrown toenails. One was for an ear infection, another for a sinus infection and the last for a neck injury (I couldn't move my head and required chiropractic adjustments to regain movement).

If you were a pilot (I was) and you called for union advice (you may have talked to me) this is a summary of what they probably would have told you.

...You are not obligated to tell anyone in your chain of command at AMR (or any company) any specifics about the nature of your illness. It is none of their **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** business. As far as those individuals are concerned you are "not fit to fly" as defined by the regulations. AMR does have a right with probable cause to have you examined by one of their doctors. When you are with one of their doctors you must assume that their is NO doctor-patient privilege. Do not divulge anything that you would not want the chief pilot/FAA to know. AMR also has a right to require a doctors note. It is usually best to have the doctor be a brief as possible..."patient was not fit to fly...but now he/she is"...again, if you need a day off don't request it off, don't request a trade that may not get approved, don't request any VC's, just call in sick.

Later

 

[Swede]

Over the years, the firings I've heard of have been "clean kills". One that comes to mind are a couple of guys who called in sick, then non-rev'ed with the AA SKI TEAM of all things to hit the slopes. Firing is not a knee-jerk reaction... they generally track closely and deliver multiple warnings.

Another guy was fired for theft after YEARS of ACARS abuse. Not simply catching an extra minute at the gate, but literally manipulating CB's and door microswitches on two different aircraft to snatch an extra 40 minutes + of pay. Told to stop, he replied, essentially, FU, and continued. He was canned.

Don't fly sick.

But don't call in sick when you miss your commute either. Be a man, take the missed trip, and next time give yourself multiple layers of backup rather than catching that 9:00 PM last flight. Don't be "sick" on Superbowl Weekend when you have the seniority to bid it off, even, heaven forbid, if it's a reserve line. It's chicken-crap to say that "reserves would rather fly." BS. That reserve may have returned from a 5-day trip only to be called out after 12 hours of rest to cover your golf game.

I'm in the camp where I believe every employee deserves personal days off without question, blocking out certain holidays. The PO's can cover the weddings, the sick child, etc.

 

[AA717driver]

Swede--TWA had three or four "Urgent Personal Business" days a year. It came out of your vacation but if you 'raised the flag' you got off for that day. Right after we got on Green Book, my dad's twin brother died and he couldn't drive to the funeral. I called up to get off and found there was no provision for that.

They gave me an "Emergency Off" day and took vacation as if I had dropped the trip but it took approval from the chief pilot to do it.

Every company out there has personal days. I guess AMR will force APA to pay for it if they want it. I guess that's why sick leave has been used for personal days in the past at AA.TC

 

[Swede]

AA717, you're right. I'm not defending AMR which can be draconian at times, but slamming more our "brother" pilots who really, seriously abuse it and laugh it off, as if it's a gag that some schmuck on reserve has to cover their tag-leg double all nighter just because "the trip sucks."

I've gotten important days off by talking to the chief pilot. It can be really hit or miss, and it's degrading to call or worse, visit, hat in hand. Some Chiefs (like Carl Price) were superb, others are simply Co. Yes-Men.

One good Chief, when my Dad passed away, said "You're off indefinitely. Take as much time as you need. Call us when you are ready to go."

I realize AMR-bashing is a popular sport here. I wish the bashing was more towards management rather than towards the pilot group. Generally, chief pilots are good guys, the Check airman are excellent. I've always had a lot of fun with Delta, Continental, USAir crews, etc, when on layovers, especially on foreign soil (strength in numbers). Jumpseating, both ways, has always been a pleasure. We pilots get blamed quite a bit for corporate policy when our hands are tied.

I hope Arpey can come up with something imaginative and bold rather than continuing as a Carty puppet. So far I haven't seen much.

 

[AA717driver]

I hope Arpey can come up with something imaginative and bold rather than continuing as a Carty puppet. So far I haven't seen much.

I hope it's not true but I've heard the back-stabbing ground pounders at Centerpork have their knives out for Hetterman. They think he's too pilot friendly.

They forget--The hand that moves the throttle rules the airline.TC