Your airline's sick policy

[CesnaCaptn]

I wonder if a policy like that encourages sick calls or discourages them.

I've never seen people abuse sick leave like they do at Alaska. Of course my point of reference is a regional where 4 days of sick leave use a year put you above average.

 

[pilotyip]

If you only can bank 11 days what happens if you break a bone or something and are out for 6 weeks or have another serious illness? Do you have disability plans to deal with serious illness or are you just on your own? Banking sick leave is important for pilots because we can have things like kidney stones or whatever where you could go to work at a normal job after the acute phase has passed but you can't fly for possibly a long while.

We have had guys break bones, fail a EKG, they have options. Take vacation, Medical, LOA, Short Term Disability or keep full pay and come into management until you are healed. Teach Ground School, write manuals, 8-5 M-F paper/office work.

 

[instructordude]

We have had guys break bones, fail a EKG, they have options. Take vacation, Medical, LOA, Short Term Disability or keep full pay and come into management until you are healed. Teach Ground School, write manuals, 8-5 M-F paper/office work.

Those are great ideas pilotyip! There is always stuff to do like check pubs, help out with manuals, take out the trash etc. I've gone in on sick days and helped out with publications page counts and general spring cleaning for the chiefs office. I don't forget who pays my bills brutha!

 

[CA1900]

I've gone in on sick days and helped out with publications page counts and general spring cleaning for the chiefs office...

:laugh:

You crack me up dude!

 

[T-1GUY]

So please explain what Abuse of sick time is ? I have a contract that says I accrue so much time per year. If I use more than what is in my bank, then I will not be paid for additional sick days taken. I think the balance was struck during negotiation. I can't wait to hear the mindset of using accumulated sick days is "Abuse" of the system. I guess I would have a problem with it, if the same people are always "sick" during holidays, but otherwise, I feel that it is your time to burn if needed...

 

[jonjuan]

It sounds like from Wave's original post that SWA is getting concerned about people banging out sick in much higher than historic numbers. What's the sick policy over there? What does Gary think of it?

 

[shon7]

So please explain what Abuse of sick time is ? I have a contract that says I accrue so much time per year. If I use more than what is in my bank, then I will not be paid for additional sick days taken. I think the balance was struck during negotiation. I can't wait to hear the mindset of using accumulated sick days is "Abuse" of the system. I guess I would have a problem with it, if the same people are always "sick" during holidays, but otherwise, I feel that it is your time to burn if needed...

you should move to France.

 

[AC560]

I can't wait to hear the mindset of using accumulated sick days is "Abuse" of the system.

Because the company allows you to accrue sick days so if you should have a catastrophic illness it wouldn't financially devastate you. This however doesn't mean that you can use these as time off whenever you feel like or when you would like to punish the company.

One of the largest expenses companies have is unplanned time off and that is especially true in the airline world where a good chunk of the work force just sits around waiting for people to call in sick (i.e. people sitting reserve). This kills profits which kills companies.

If you want time off negotiate for that but don't ask for sick time and then use it as a holiday bank.

 

[fam62c]

Because the company allows you to accrue sick days so if you should have a catastrophic illness it wouldn't financially devastate you. This however doesn't mean that you can use these as time off whenever you feel like or when you would like to punish the company.

One of the largest expenses companies have is unplanned time off and that is especially true in the airline world where a good chunk of the work force just sits around waiting for people to call in sick (i.e. people sitting reserve). This kills profits which kills companies.

If you want time off negotiate for that but don't ask for sick time and then use it as a holiday bank.

Well said, I totally agree. If you are too sick to work stay home, if you are not show up and do your job. Benefits that get abused get reduced or eliminated.

 

[crxpilot]

Allegiant always pays you 70 hours a month but anything above that is lost on sick calls unless you want to use your Paid Time Off balance. So we have guys who are seemingly permanently sick and still get paid (and will till they are 65 according to our work agreement). Certainly not perfect, but definitely not a bad policy.