Is it just me, or has anybody else noticed the massive reduction in over 60 guys going to the panel in both jets now that the age change (promised by APAAD and the MEC to occur by Memorial Day, oops, I mean Sep 30th, oops, I mean, oh nevermind) appears to be on the back burner or subject to a veto anyway?

Their numbers seem to be way down from just a couple of months ago.

Do you think they have finally given up and retired or are they milking their DSA accounts trying to outlast the delay in their "current" seat?

I hope we don't all get extra scrutiny on the use of our sick banks because of these guys.

 

Conventional wisdom regarding sick bank usage has always been: it's not how many days you call in sick for, it's the number of instances. So if you're sick, call in sick and stay out as long as you need to - no problem, BUT... if you have 4 or 5 instances of calling in sick (within a calender year), even for one day on each instance, you'll probably be standing tall at the end of the long table, explaining yourself.

As well, don't blame the guys who are over 60 for milking their DSA accounts. If the company didn't want them to do that, they would have agreed to pay them for the hours in that bank, when they retired. Certainly you can understand (I know you don't approve of the practice) why a guy who was hopeful that the Age 60 thing would have been already approved, prior to his turning 60, wants to hang around, use up his DSA bank, all the while hoping for a passage of the new age limit. I'm sure the company as well, understands what's going on, and I can't see why they would lump younger guys in with older guys, by questioning sick bank usage. I myself am scamming the system, by having my heart bypass surgery. So now I sit and wait the 6 months that the FAA requires of me, while awaiting a chance to return to the left seat.

 

Conventional wisdom regarding sick bank usage has always been: it's not how many days you call in sick for, it's the number of instances. So if you're sick, call in sick and stay out as long as you need to - no problem, BUT... if you have 4 or 5 instances of calling in sick (within a calender year), even for one day on each instance, you'll probably be standing tall at the end of the long table, explaining yourself.


JJ, stop the fear mongering. Dude, I love ya man but I have never been contacted in 13 years for calling sick well over the numbers you use. If you are legitimately sick, have a cold, baby kept you up all night, etx, just use it. Part of our problem is our deep fear of the 800 lb gorilla. Its just my experience, but I havent seen it. Just my experience.

 

SS~ You must be, and always have been, based in Mempho. Believe me, because it has happened to me and several others I personally know, if you are based in ANC or LAX and call in sick multiple times within a certain period of time you WILL get a call from JP (ACP) and be asked to explain yourself AND/OR produce a doctors note AND/OR be placed NOQ (without notice) until you have spoken with Dr. Kendall. No kidding.

I have also learned that if you call JP in advance (or soon after the fact) and give him a heads up on certain situations that a lot of heartburn can be avoided, FWIW.

Sorry Bohica for hijacking your thread.

 

We should never have to explain a sick call.... If a manager ever calls me for an explaination, I will tell him to hold on while I call the union...

I will not explain my justified use of MY sick bank to any mgr without a union lawyer by my side...

And I have called in sick over the 4-5 times per year and have yet to hear anything....knock on wood..

 

Has it always been like this or is this a development in the last 2-3 years?

My "perception" is that in the past guys used sick as "personal time". Nobody batted an eye. Then the cost cutting/inquistion stuff started.

Perhaps in future contracts we need to call a spade a spade and negotiate for some "personal leave" than can be used at pilot's discretion within certain parameters (avoid last minute calls, not used during peak, subject to blackouts, etc). Then...if you are no kidding sick--use sick leave. Be ready with a doctor's note/explaination. If fatigued--say so--no penalty. Got a BS trip that goons up a commute? Drop it with PTO.

Company wins how? If you don't you use your PTO--you sell it back--at cost plus a modest bonus. Some guys would NEVER use it.

Stupid? Impossible? I'danno.... How does PTO work at other places?

 

Albie,

With all due respect, I don't think your idea will work.

Some use sick leave for personal time, some don't. It works pretty well the way it is so why mess with it?

The only way we would get personal time is if sick time were reduced....That would not be so good.

Company paying us for sick time unused years down the road is a good idea. It would also encourage us to call in sick less. I don't understand why the company doesn't see the brilliance of this idea. Wait a second....I think they do. They want us to use less sick time AND not pay us for the excess at the end. That would explain the militant stance on calling in sick.

We have a trend of backsliding on our scheduling rules. STV instead of SIBA. New trip drop without credit for recurrent. Good luck improving them with a personal time bank that doesn't come out of our hides.

ACP in LAX/ANC making you produce a sick note or call the company doc to fly after calling in sick? Does the union know about this?

And don't call in Fatigued either. You'll have to explain it to OR.

We have a hard won sick bank benefit. To think about changing the rules may threaten that benefit.

 

Best answer yet to an ACP asking about increased sick useage:

"Hey, I'm getting older.
... I get sick more.
... It's probably gonna get worse."

Wish I could remember who told me that one, but memory is the second thing to go...

 

When # 3 was born he spent many many days in the hospital (he got better).

I called in sick 7 times in one year. Not a peep from the ACP.

I HAVE heard of guys getting called if they're out more than a month, though....

 

Just thought I'd add...
At my current airline, the new contract allows a pilot to use sick time to care for:
-self
-spouse
-brother/sister
-children
-parents
-grandparents
-grandchildren
-mother in law/father in law

This comes in handy since you can be sick one week, and a week later, your spouse can be sick, no questions asked. Great addition to our new contract, I'm passing the word around to friends from other airlines since it seems like this is how sick time should be treated.