F. General
1. A relocation request form shall be submitted to Labor Relations to initiate benefit
eligibility.
2. A pilot shall advise Labor Relations in writing of the completion of his relocation.
His relocation is complete when he has established a new permanent residence
for himself and, if applicable, his spouse and/or dependent children within the
acceptable radius of his base within 12 months following his activation date. The
Company shall verify completion of a pilot's relocation based on objective factors.
3. In extenuating circumstances, the designated Company official may deem that a
pilot has completed his relocation even though some of the factors ordinarily
establishing a completed relocation are absent. If the pilot subsequently fails to
complete his relocation, as provided in Section 6.F.2., the pilot shall be deemed
never to have relocated and shall be obligated to reimburse the Company in
accordance with Section 6.B.8.
4. The Company may request documentation to establish that a pilot has completed
a relocation, as provided in Section 6.F.2. The documentation may include, but
is not limited to, settlement statements relating to the purchase and/or sale of
residences, verification of the movement of household goods and automobile(s)
to the new location, verification of the permanent relocation of a pilot’s spouse
and/or dependent children under the age of 18 years, if applicable, establishment
of a pilot’s residence at the new location for purposes of applicable property or
state income taxes, driver’s license, automobile registration and voter’s
registration. A pilot shall submit documentation requested by the Company in
accordance with this paragraph.
5. If a pilot becomes obligated to reimburse the Company for expenditures related
to relocation, he may request of the Labor Relations Department a repayment
schedule based on a mutually agreeable per pay check amount. If the parties
are unable to agree on an amount to be deducted per pay check, the Company is
authorized to initiate a payroll deduction of up to 25% of the gross amount due.
Unless mutually waived by both the pilot and Labor Relations, the maximum
period allowed for repayment under this provision shall not exceed nine (9)
months.
6. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.F.5. (above), if a pilot’s obligation to
reimburse the Company for expenditures related to relocation becomes the
subject of a grievance filed pursuant to Section 20, the period contained in
Section 6.F.5., shall not commence until final resolution of that grievance
pursuant to Sections 20 and 21.



Hefe, there are NO DUMB QUESTIONS, just dumb LOA's, just kidding.

First you need to get things from sources, CBA, LOA, and Company relocation specialists. There are a lot of opinions on these boards and you would not want to bet your happiness on the accuracy, this includes my opinion.

Second, this ain't the military, you live and die by the contract and its provisions, so best to know what they are in advance.

Third, there are a lot of "hidden" details in the contract, especially as it applies to new hires.

Example:
If you accept an FDA (HKG,CDG) as a first assignment you will recieve training pay until you have completed whatever, yet to be determined, training program is adopted. I was a newhire went direct to SFS and made less than 29K the first year. This was due to the fact that training was three months, I was sent home for a month with pay (training pay) until a training slot opened, did a full IOE in the states, then had to do an Asia specific IOE/Checkout, still on training pay. This could be how they do it in HKG and CDG or they could make up any training program they like.

The kind of move you refered to in you thread, is called a crash pad move and is covered in the CBA. If you take that option, or any option out of the CBA, as a newhire, you would receive 2k relocation allowance instead of the 10K in the LOA. You may be able to take the "enhanced" option provided by the LOA, but if your not planning on taking your family you had better talk with fedex relocations before assuming the move qualifies. Note the sections above state that you have to show, to the companies satisfaction, that you have met the requirements(see 6.2.F). Either way you will be under the provisions of tax equilization, the specifics yet to be tested. Check the Price, Waterhouse, Cooper, site to see what information you can decipher from their generalizations.

This LOA has not been tested.... Do not assume anything. You may be able to move from an FDA in two years or if it "goes" junior and hiring slows you could find yourself there for a while.

Don't plan on commuting. That is one thing repeated in the communications from the company and the union.

Better have a financial plan, (ie. savings, outside income, spousal income, military pay, etc) if you plan on taking one of these jobs as a newhire. A single guy might make it work, but a family guy will be using some alternate source of money for the first year.

This is a very good company to work for and getting your "foot in the door" may be a very good idea. But if it means going straight to a FDA each person had better analyze their personal situation.

Good luck with your decision.