Originally Posted by rickair7777

Sending pilots to your own doc is fraught with legal peril because then if you med down a guy who had a disciplinary record, a record of fatigue or safety calls, or is a labor organizer then you've pretty much handed him the lawsuit win, unless the med condition is very clear cut.

That's why nobody does it anymore, except with new hires, or pilots who have a suspected medical issue that concerns the company... such as the guy who constantly falls asleep and gets complaints from other pilots.

Google that lady at DAL who got jerked around by the company and won a big lawsuit... in this century employers don't get to play in the medical sandbox.

An employer might get away with requiring in-house medicals at an arms-distance subcontractor, to ensure that FAA standards are applied thoroughly but isolated from undue company influence. That might insulate them from accusations of weaponizing the medical system. But then they'd have to pay travel, per diem, daily guarantee, and the cost of the exam. At most airlines you do it on your day off, and at many you pay for it yourself.