Somebody mentioned California and I may have missed another. State laws in both California and Washington compel employers to allow use of a paid personal sick time (If your job has that) for the purpose of tending to an ill family member. Matters not if you live elsewhere, if your job is based in the state you are covered. Living in the state working elsewhere does not qualify. With Delta, that means SEA and LAX pilots are covered. Does not extend to disability benefits. So for folks with the max sick bank accrual, it’s close to four months and more than the annual earnings of your average American.

For the pilot in question it would take some AE bidding fortunes and good timing plus a significant wait (not to mention a cross continent commute when work is necessary) to get triggered into State Sick. No elimination period as far as I know, but check with ALPA to be sure.