Flight Options BS

[Jetsi]

I need some help with this one guys, but it sounds liks BS.

I have been working at RTA/FLOPS for over 4 years. Interviewed with Frontier, got the job, starting class April 12.

My last flight at Flight Options was March 6. Since then I have been taking scheduled vacation before I was offered a job at Frontier.

I got a call from my Program Manager today, saying that since I haven't worked my last day of employment with Flight Options was March 7.

I have gotten 2 paychecks since then, along with per diem, and paid for health insurance, etc. I have gone to the doctor and dentist since March 7, so I have been using my benefits.

I don't even exactly know what is going to happen here, but I was just told this less than 30 minutes ago. Am I going to be responsible for all of my medical expenses I incurred? Should I be getting unemployment since my employment date was before I turned in my Letter of Resignation?

If anybody has any ideas on what I should do, please let me know. I am still suffering from Shock and Awe.

Jetsi

 

[JetCapt69]

If Options granted you vacation, then you are still on the company payroll until the end of your vacation period.

Call Joe and explain the situation to him and ask him to make your official termination date effective as stated on your Letter of Resignation, if that doesn't work, try Herzburg. (Not that any of this will help)

If you have paid your insurance for the month, then you should be covered. I would call United Healthcare and discuss this with them. You should have the option to continue your insurance, even if it is just long enough to cover the expenses.

I can't believe that Shedden is hosing you like that. I wish you the best of luck at Frontier.

 

[Aspiring to be]

RTN/FLOPS has no Honor!!

Looks like you are getting a screwing from RTN/FLOPS. I would think if you paid for part of your health benefits that they will not try to screw you there. If they do and you have spent a lot of money you will be able to get COBRA. I believe you have sixty days before your have to pay for COBRA so you should be able to see if they will try and stiff you. I had a friend at RTA that almost the same thing happened. It serves no purpose to give notice to RTN/FLOPS. You would have been better to have taken vacation and then told them you were leaving. You can not be treated in an honorable way when you are dealing with people that have no idea what honor is. You might go to your unemployment office and just ask them for advice as to your rights and course of action. I expect they only thing you can do is seek legal advice and as RTN/FLOPS knows that it is not a financial reasonable move on your part. Probably you will just have to take it in the shorts and just say good riddance to the terrible management of RTN/FLOPS.

 

[Jetsi]

Having had time to think . . .

I am first going to contact the Department of Labor in Nebraska (where I live) and find out who has jurisdiction, NE or OH. Since I pay my state taxes to NE I think that would be the first place to start.

I am wondering if they are going to credit my money I paid for medical on my last check. By doing this they are also screwing me out of $680+ in per diem.

And another question is did I quit or was I terminated. Having never been fired from a job before, I really don't want to have to say that I was fired at an interview (God willing there will never be another one, but what a crazy business.)

I do agree that at the least, my termination date should be after my vacation. I just wonder how they can tell me I am let go a month after it happened.

I will just vent on this tonight and drink more beer. I think there are going to be a few phone calls tomorrow, starting with the People Department. Might just be a waste of air, but at least I am burning up minutes on their 888 number.

I will end up taking this in the shorts, no doubt about it. Fair warning to all of you out there. If you are going to quit to go to greener pastures, don't give them any notice. Just call them the day before you are supposed to go out and tell them you quit.

What comes around goes around

 

[flexlrpilot357]

They can't retroactively fire you, that's silly. Call the state labor dept.

 

[Jetsi]

I just want . . .

my paycheck until I said I quit.

I want my per diem.

I want my insurance.

I want to get paid my remaining vacation and sick time.

I think that is all I want (without getting greedy ;-P)

And now to really make people angry. OOOOOHHHH, if only we had a contract. LOL.

Jetsi

 

[sky4]

This really sounds crazy, and it really does not sound like Shedden to pull something like this. I would call Herzburg, He has allways been great about solving problems, but you may have to call him more than once. This company has been very fair with me so far, but if you have vacation or sick time, they can not take that away from you!!!! And you would be foolish to leave it! you earned it!

Good luck on your future and let us know how this turns out.

 

[Frac Daddy]

This really sounds crazy, and it really does not sound like Shedden to pull something like this.

That is becuse his PM is not Shedden.

Jetsi, don't worry, you'll be working under a contract soon enough.

 

[Jetsi]

Didn't know Shedden

Is he the used PM?

Can't believe I am still awake and fuming over this.

Heads will roll tomorrow. Now my head must hit the pillow.

Later guys and gals

 

[Jetsi]

The Official Retraction

Here is the information ladies and gentlemen, straight from the horses mouth (being mine).

Turns out there was a little misunderstanding between myself and Mr. Bilger about the outcome of my employment, which has been rectified.

My last day of employment is today, April 6, 2004.

And some more details to those who would be interested. I have been paid my per diem, my insurance is paid through the end of April, and I forgot to ask if I get paid for my unused sick time or not. Last but not least, hide in anonymity as this board is read by the folks in CGF.

And to finish, I would like to offer my sincere apology to Flight Options and their staff for any dishonor I have given them. I flew off the handle with some bad intel, and regret the indiscretion.

Good luck everybody, wherever your paths may take you.

Matt Siegrist

 

[LegacyDriver]

They can't retroactively fire you, that's silly. Call the state labor dept.

Why not? My company fired a guy after they had already fired him. These companies can do whatever they want and get away with it. David vs. Goliath and we're fresh out of stones. I'm glad this case was resolved, at any rate.

 

[Live4flyng]

Last but not least, hide in anonymity as this board is read by the folks in CGF.

Then maybe some of the folks in CGF reading this board would like to comment on the all white airplanes and what it means. Please don't tell me you would waste money on temp decals instead of doing it correctly the first time. Not buying that lame story, I haven't seen any other fractionals flying all white planes around because they are waiting to decide what color to paint them.

 

[JetCapt69]

Then maybe some of the folks reading this board would like to comment on the all white airplanes and what it means.

L4F,

A few months ago, a new hawker was in LIT getting the "decals" installed on the airframe. In a conference room upstairs, some Raytheon officials happened to be watching out the window admiring the "decaler" do his work. They witnessed him trimming the decals with a razor blade and they flipped out.

Turns out, the shop(s) have been installing these decals using the same method. Upon inspection of the LIT hawker, they found some deep gouges in the paint from the decalers razor blade.

This prompted an immediate grounding of all aircraft that had the new decal scheme. They had to remove all the decals and found several aircraft with deep gouges in the paint, which were inspected to determine if the pressurized areas had been breached.

We have been in peak travel periods ever since this was discovered. The aircraft will be cycled through at their next major maintenance event to have new colors applied.

The decals are not "temp decals" as you call them. Many manufacturers are going to this method of decorating aircraft. It costs less and allows the buyer to change schemes much easier, especially if he is buying a used aircraft and doesn't like the color.

Options is growing, not downsizing.

 

[Jetsi]

I heard . . .

that on one aircraft the decals came off in flight and were ingested by the engine, trashing it.

Don't know if that is true, but it is funny.

About the razor blades, I seriously don't see how a razor blade could in anyway damage an aircraft. I know it would gouge the paint, but I don't see it doing any damage to aluminum. I suppose you could do it if you were really trying, but if you were just trimming decals I don't think you would put all your force into cutting it.

What do I know, I am unemployed (for a few days).

I am sure there are 14 other stories out there as well. We gossip more than women.

 

[100-1/2]

Help...two seperate issues

Employment (IRS/SSA Credit)
If you are currently on APPROVED Leave/Vacation with a return date in the future, you must show/call in for work on that date. At that time you should submit a letter of resignation. If this has already been done, don't sweat it I will explain below. You are an employee through ANY period of APPROVED LEAVE or VACATION. THis is with respect to being an employee of a firm and receiving Insurance, workers' compensation and unemployment benefits. True for any state. Contracts, are not legal if they supercede this. Your resignation letter if signed/effective as of any date prior to your approved leave does not hose you from those benefits earlier mentioned. You were merely (AS A COURTESY) informing the employer that you would not be able to return for FULL TIME Work on your expected return date following that approved leave. Your employer may insist you show on that date to return company materials, process paperwork and receive wages due to you(including perdiem if in your contract), vacation, 401k, and reimbursements, LESS hours/days not worked if on contract and or non-returned company property.

Insurance
your employer cannot discontinue your insurance coverages while you are still an employee. You cannot be fired from your position outside the context of your contract/employee manual and/or while you are away on leave. You must be allowed to report for work on the agreed upon date and receive credit for unempoyment benefits for that period that your leave was approved. Additionally, your Health coverage does not cease the moment you walk out the door. You have the exact same coverages through the remainder of the month on your current premium/copay and then for another 180 days after that under COBRA. It is a federal program that allows you to continue with existing coverages for 6 months but at much higher premiums. A great Program instituted without thought by Clinton that out of work people can't afford higher insurance premiums while looking for a new job.

Lastly, OH is an "employer" state or "at-will" meaning any company can fire any wage earner with or without cause. Unfortunately for Options, your pilot contract and flight department handbook likely cites a disciplinary process prior to termination with few exceptions. It might be important if you plan on a career beyond Frontier to find out if in fact you are fired and hold them to the process and defend yourself. Another post had suggestions on contacting key individuals at the Co, I would be friendly and state your case. As a last resort, maybe a good labor attorney in NE should review both OH and NE law in addition to your company manuals. A good cease and decist letter should get the results you desire and a clean file.

In any case, you are an employee regardless of your last flight completed or line status. I would imagine their is nothing in the manual either tha cites flight time as a requirement or pertaining to anything other than currency.

Good luck,
100-1/2

 

[Aspiring to be]

" Additionally, your Health coverage does not cease the moment you walk out the door. You have the exact same coverages through the remainder of the month on your current premium/copay and then for another 180 days after that under COBRA. It is a federal program that allows you to continue with existing coverages for 6 months but at much higher premiums. A great Program instituted without thought by Clinton that out of work people can't afford higher insurance premiums while looking for a new job.____________________________________________



Good info except COBRA runs for 18 months. The cost I believe is restricted to 103% of the total cost prior to leaving the company. The increase in expense is due mainly to the fact that you are paying the whole bill and not a small employee part.

 

[JetCapt69]

Did you also get some magic beans with this story in exchange for your cow?

I seen the results of the razor blades on two aircraft. Deep gouges on both of them.

So why don't you just run back down to your union hall, climb under the table and do some more negotiating with managment.

 

[cgmason1]

So why don't you just run back down to your union hall, climb under the table and do some more negotiating with managment.

I am sure you would want a union if you ever run into a similar situation as Jetsi (sorry about your misfortune) the originator of this thread. The purpose of a union is to enforce the agreed upon contract so that management cannot do things at their whim such as arbitrarily take away pay, vacation, and medical benefits.
Believe me I know our union is not the best-but at least we do have a degree of protection.

Hope everything works out for you Jetsi-and congrats on Frontier.
Couple of our guys are headed that way also.

Fly Safe
Chuck

 

[450]

Good info except COBRA runs for 18 months. The cost I believe is restricted to 103% of the total cost prior to leaving the company. The increase in expense is due mainly to the fact that you are paying the whole bill and not a small employee part.

I would guess that is correct as "Aspiring to be" knows all being fired. I mean unemployed.

 

[Aspiring to be]

Never been fired but I have used COBRA twice. Once for my daughter when she hit 21 and the other time when I retired.

What is your problem 450?