My new Dr is a GP (previously my primary Dr was my AME). He was shocked when I told him there were hundreds of drugs I was not allowed to fly while taking, besides the obvious ones. Subsequent visits, I took my Ipad to show him AMAS website and look it up for him when he wanted to change an RX. At least now he appreciates that most OTC cold meds ground me. My CP knows the impact of meds on fling status.

I'd bet most "Platinum Days" abusers will be experts on the rolling 12 month sick hours. And they'll also have a friendly doc that will sign a verification that they had a cold 2 weeks prior.

Just saying, this new policy won't stop abuse, it'll just harass the non-abusers who happen to trigger the look back hour provision, and will be a minor inconvenience to those whom it's ostensibly aimed.

 

I think you have it wrong who the policy is aimed at. Haters gonna hate abusers gonna abuse. This policy is about making any fence sitter err on the side of coming to work. Instant productivity! Add to that all the verification paperwork the company no longer has to handle, and they are making out great.

 

I'm not so sure it was primarily vanilla sick leave usage that was being targeted.....now sick leave usage to massage legality and availability for premium flying is another story.

 

That's a good point.

I can visualize the discussion between the flight ops folks and the HR lawyers. A lot of spreadsheet pointing, lamenting, and clutching of pearls.

Regardless of what issues they were trying to address, the fundamentals haven't changed:

1. Pilots self-certify their fitness to fly. Not a doctor. The pilot.
2. The company will always try to make us more productive. It's their job!
3. The union tries to prevent the company's efforts from harming us.

There are probably 13,954 interpretations about the steps taken in those three, if for no other reason than terms like "fitness", "productive", and "harm" are subjective. Add to that the differences in the way each of the parties prioritize goals.

 

its certain someone in that group gasped...'can you believe how much these f-n pilots are getting paid'???

 

No, I'm not. Haven't flown a trip since early July 2016. Does that make me a sick leave abuser? No, I'm dealing with harsh reality. And I'm not alone. Prior to my extended absence, I was a pretty heavy user of sick benefits - nothing related to why I'm out now. It was all legit, but I had to play silly games with verification in circumstances where my own fitness for flight judgement should have sufficed. I know I flew when I should not have, due to the nuances of verification requirements. On those occasions, did I take a risk (of ear/sinus pressure equalization issues, mainly) or expose my coworkers to germs? Very likely. It's beyond reason to be pressured in such a manner. Sure you can say "it only impacts x (insert small number) percent of the pilot group," but I'm quite certain the looming psychological impact of onerous verification mandates will influence the decision-making of a larger pilot demographic. And in turn lead to unnecessary germ-sharing out on the line.

My rant is water under the bridge at this point. But one thing I'd like to express for anybody's consideration: you don't know what others face in terms of health challenges unless you walk in their shoes. Our sick verification policy dilutes a pilot's right and obligation to self-screen for fitness to fly. End of story. You can rationalize it by saying " wow, you can get a month-plus off without verification" or "this just impacts a few pilots." Be glad it's not you. Before supporting additional erosion of sick benefits in a future TA, consider that it could be you at some point , and reject the proposal.

 

What sick benefits were eroded?

My understanding there was no change to accruals, or access to benefits. I think the only changes were to the verification trigger(s).

What others did I miss?

 

>>My understanding there was no change to accruals, or access to benefits. I think the only changes were to the verification trigger(s).

What others did I miss?<<<

--Defn of QHCP
--Ability to Voluntarily verify before verification threshold reached
--Ability to verify with "other proof of illness"
--Company now pays for Dr on;y under GFB or if they reject the QHCP note
--White slip awards constrained if pilot uses sick
--Green slip awards constrained if pilot uses sick

--15 day rule eliminated.


Ask a question.....

 

Thanks. As I thought, no erosion to any benefit.

 

Karnak, are you in the current administration? Serious question. For years you have sought always to defend and justify the most ridiculous, concessionary, and harmful contractual language by painting anyone who disagrees with it as a lying and/or cheating scumbag.

Were you in contract admin and communications? What is your current position?

Being forced to go to a doctor much more frequently is most certainly an erosion of a benefit for professionals and grown-ups.