Originally Posted by
Herkflyr
Aren't those contradictory statements? You can't both "notice more guys flying sick" and also observe that "I bet sick leave usage has increased under this contract." I would bet quite a bit that sick leave usage has declined quite a bit ever since the current crappy rules came into being.
I've always had a hard time with both the sick leave abusers and the guys who fly sick. Some fly sick to "save money" and some because they somehow think they are doing DAL a perverse favor. They most assuredly are not.
If you even have to ask yourself, "Am I good to go to fly this trip?" much less hacking up your guts...call in sick right away. Don't get anyone else sick just because you think you can man up! On the other hand, if you screwed up bidding or wish your one-week vacation could somehow turn into two, you don't call in sick just to make things all better scheduling-wise. We have to better than the schmucks in mgmt. Calling in sick "just because" merely relegates us to their thieving level.
I think what he was saying is that under the current system (theoretically) more people come to work still contagious and infect co-workers, therby increasing sick leave useage because more people are now sick as the result. A little contradictory, maybe, but I understand the logic.
I totally agree, if you are sick, call in sick. If you think you are contagious, definitely call in sick. (TIC: if you think you are going to be sick in an international category, call in at least 24 hours in advance)
I still think there should be some kind of system that addresses the longer to heal things (without being on disability) without penalizing the pilot. Maybe there is, I just am not aware of it.
Now there is another side to the coin which all of the commuting is a choice crowd and dont abuse sick leave crowd refuse to look at and refer to as abuse: Sick leave is a personnel cost/benefit...It is alreay worked into the benefits package for each employee ie: It is costed out as part of the compensation package. Many employers, the federal government included, accept as a standard practice that sick leave is used for snow days, childcare coverage, extending vacations, etc. I am not taking a side on this part of the arguement, just presenting the reality. And before you poke me in the eye, realize that I am not even close to my 75% threshhold.