So it sounded like a horror movie with a bunch of screaming for a few hours than a baby crying? Ahhahaha sorry couldn't resist. I'm sure that was a long four months.

My mom was in labor with me for 30 hours. After waiting at the hospital all day and night, my dad (not in the airline business) said, "the heck with it" and went on to work. They called him I has been born. He told them he would try to drop by for a few minutes after work.

I was their only child. They were married for 63 years.

I don't think my mother ever forgave him. Be there for your child's birth, if humanly possible.

The company bends over backward to get people home for the birth of a child. They will do everything possible to get you there.

... it'll just be unpaid. Unlike when you have the sniffles, when you will be paid.

Don't forget, this backward-bending company has their best legal minds working to reduce long-time family sick leave benefits (Minnesota), and stop new ones (Georgia).

But they really care about you, honest!

I thought the important point is to be there for the birth of your child. I guess it's the money.

If you can't see that there are multiple issues in play simultaneously, I'm not sure I can help you. Presence is one thing, and of course, is most important by far.

I'd like to be present for the birth, but also for my kid when he breaks an arm or has the flu. An increasing number of employers let their people do those things without losing pay, of they have sick time available. If you think that's to much to ask for, don't ask or don't vote for it. Management will love you even more!

Agree 100%. Call in sick.

You can use family leave. You can put in the paperwork with an approximate date, then change it if necessary. You will be paid with vacation days first, then unpaid once those are gone. I believe if you are the one having the baby (you're female), you can use sick time after this. If you are male, it all becomes unpaid after vacation gone. I was at my first child's birth, but missed my second child's due to this job. Unfortunately, sometimes they come early and if you're on the road, it could be impossible to get back in time.

I would not say the company bends over backwards for things like child birth. Look how hard they negotiate against us to fight sick leave and how they don't want to honor the new FMLA laws. Look how hard company is fighting military leave.

Talk to the secretary in chief pilot's office. They deal with this all the time. It's no secret after kid is born. He/she will be on your benefits.

I think you will find the comparison between a airline pilot and a daily worker is tough to make. They miss one day of work for a event and typically have far less sick leave to start with. Most of my career I have been flying the longer trips. Some months 1 trip and usually two. If I stayed home from work every time my kids were sick I would have missed half the year.
Delta will work hard to accommodate life events. Pilots should also due their part. If your wife is due to have a baby don't bid a 12 day trip leaving 5 days before her due date. If your daughter is graduating from college don't bid a trip over the top of her graduation when you are in the top quarter of your category and expect the company to drop it.

You're not eligible for FMLA per the PWA until you've been on property for a year.