Brad4est

Hi guys.

I have already researched this, but I'm not sure I'm correct in my assumptions, so anyone with actual knowledge / advice will be welcome.

Here's the deal. I have 10 days vacation in November, starting the 17th. So, with a max slide of +5, I can only get one day into December. The way I read the contract, I couldn't slide into the "previous" month of November or December but it doesn't say anything about a slide into the next month. So, I "think" I can slide from November into December, but not vice versa.

If I slide into December, and avoid using vacation in November, I know I can try to touch a trip that starts the first few days in December (48 hour buffer) and knock it out. But, with my seniority that might be tough. Obviously everyone will be bidding the few trips that start early in December to avoid flying on Christmas.

My question is this. If I can't touch a trip, but do bid a "regular" line, can I "expand" to knock out the whole value of my vacation bid (10 days or 60 hrs + 6 hours by 7.E.3.b. b.) or 66 hours or is it only the 1 day that is actually "in" December? I think it's the whole vacation period, but I'm not sure, especially since I've never done anything like this before.

Thanks in advance.

MaydayMark

Brad,

For "stuff" like this I like to email the Vacation lady and get a reply from her IN WRITING. I figure they're not likely to put themselves on report if we have a future "interpretation" issue ...

MM

JollyF15

You can slide your vacation + or - 5 days into either month. Sounds like you have 10 days that you can slide +5 days and have 1 day hanging in December. That's a great way to spread your vacation over two months. As long as you have one day in December and at least 1 hour left in your bank, it's a valid day of vacation. There are two ways to maximize it:

1) Slide it right 5, use it to the max in November, then conflict with the December trip to get paid for that too. You will be in the hole, and at some point will have to make up but that can wait until next year.

2) Slide it right 5, try not to conflict with it to save the hours. You should be able to protect Thanksgiving that way. If you do conflict with it, you can do a vacation make up trip in November to plus up your bank (up to 6 hours over what you have). I would try to avoid conflicting with it to save the hours. That gives you 60 hours of vacation to use in December with that one day. Don't expand it in November, wait until December and expand it right to knock out 60 hours worth (+6, so 66 hrs) of vacation to hit trips in December and have them go away and get paid for them.

Hope this helps.

Jolly

mcdbirdman

Watch out on that expansion in Dec if your purpose for doing this is knocking out a trip for Christmas. Can't expand only slide to conflict with these holidays.