Back in 2008 we told the company that our STD excluded pre-existing conditions.
We showed them the language: "Pre-existing conditions are not covered under the plan'.
Directors, Managers and EVP's all said:
1 You are reading it incorrectly
2. Only for 90 days; not your entire employment
3. That is not the intent of the plan
4. It is not administered that way
5. Jetblue will do the right thing.
Then we found a pilot who was denied STD income replacement by Prudential (admin of Jetblue) because of a pre-existing condition.
Jetblue was quick to point out that this was a 'mistake' and the pilot was paid.
Two months later another pilot was denied STD benefits for pre-existing conditions. This time Jetblue said nothing and the pilot was paid. Three months later the company without an announcement or email to the PVC or another committee or a thank you changed the STD SPD to what it reads today.
MetLife/prudential simply administers the policy language that Jetblue wanted. They wanted STD to exclude pre-existing conditions for your entire career at Jetblue because it is a money saver for - NOT PRUDENTIAL - but Jetblue. JetBlue wants the 2 year limited benefit period for mental and psychological disorders period because it saves them MONEY.
This is just one example of many over the past 6 years. Leadership has to be cornered to make a change. In the meantime pilots and families a$$e$ are hanging out in the wind. But as Bluestick once said: "it doesn't affect that many pilots".
We showed them the language: "Pre-existing conditions are not covered under the plan'.
Directors, Managers and EVP's all said:
1 You are reading it incorrectly
2. Only for 90 days; not your entire employment
3. That is not the intent of the plan
4. It is not administered that way
5. Jetblue will do the right thing.
Then we found a pilot who was denied STD income replacement by Prudential (admin of Jetblue) because of a pre-existing condition.
Jetblue was quick to point out that this was a 'mistake' and the pilot was paid.
Two months later another pilot was denied STD benefits for pre-existing conditions. This time Jetblue said nothing and the pilot was paid. Three months later the company without an announcement or email to the PVC or another committee or a thank you changed the STD SPD to what it reads today.
MetLife/prudential simply administers the policy language that Jetblue wanted. They wanted STD to exclude pre-existing conditions for your entire career at Jetblue because it is a money saver for - NOT PRUDENTIAL - but Jetblue. JetBlue wants the 2 year limited benefit period for mental and psychological disorders period because it saves them MONEY.
This is just one example of many over the past 6 years. Leadership has to be cornered to make a change. In the meantime pilots and families a$$e$ are hanging out in the wind. But as Bluestick once said: "it doesn't affect that many pilots".
