PSA
I just downloaded the Galileo app from the HR page. It’s new, it’s $20/ telehealth case. If I’m sick I can click on and have medical care from DOs and MDs with a 20-30 min response time on my phone, typically used for urgent care like colds, flus, high fevers, minor injuries, etc.

That $20…. Is that still reimbursable if I get a GFB call?

 

This is true and a fair point.

I don't think it was ever used in such a horrendously broad way though. That's why when you go back through this very thread you see a bunch of anecdotes such as, "are you guys really getting called for these? I've gotten one in 10 years." I would imagine the company expense part alone of paying for the doctor's visit probably keeps these calls under some amount of control. (Just to be clear, I think GFB should go away entirely).

The point I'm trying to make is that the existence of GFB does not render moot our need to advance improvements to the general verification rules. I don't have data on it, but I guarantee you the sick note ratio of general verification to GFB is like 95 to 5 (I would love to see data on that - do we have that available?). And if that's true, the general verification rules are tremendously relevant and important, de facto.

 

It is. Beats a $1600 visit to the ER, spending 6 hours there, and waiting 5 months to get reimbursed

 

The “punishment” for not fully complying with a GFB request is a loss of pay for the sick event.

 

Is that actually in the PWA or just "past practice?" I honestly don't know but I don't recall seeing it in there.

 

How does the CPO being required to provide a reason change anything? I posted a partial list of the all-encompassing reasons that were used during the last GFB blitz. The company has effectively found a “reason” to GFB any sick call.

Particularly during the post-COVID GFB blitz, I believe that ALPA would have had a solid case to challenge the “good faith” aspect of GFB. ALPA never touched that though, despite acknowledging that GFB requests underwent a significant surge in the 2021-2022 timeframe. Coincidentally, that peak occurred during section 6 negotiations for C19. Still, nothing was done.

 

If you bothered to talk to you reps you would know there was a lot of discussion. And A LOT of pilots asking for something to be done. I would say that’s representative.

 

Because they cannot GFB every sick call and say, in good faith, they have a reason to question its validity. That's why. They have to have and articulate a valid reason for each individual inquiry. Might GFB be used a little more for a time? sure. Will it be rampant, or even approach every single sick? Absolutely no.

With this MOU, they've de facto admitted to failing the automation requirement, and waiving all lookback for 6-9+ months. Do you not think any reasonable entity would see them respond with a GFB blitz as totally disingenuous in a grievance? The MOU reset the landscape there.

Look, I roll my eyes as hard as anyone about being treated like I'm in Kindergarten when I'm sick, and would love to see GFB go away entirely. But, it's also not that big a deal to get a note. I don't know why folks actually allow themselves to get so upset over it.

If I were king, I'd allow GFB only on APD holidays at their expense. I'd bring back voluntary verification, have a requirement to verify every sick after something like 100 unverified hours, and that's it. Limit the actual abusers, and leave the 98% of the rest of us alone to be adults.

 

Did you know we were in negotiations?

 

We are always in negotiations. Any grievance is the potential to get more of what we want