The ultimate winners were the guys that got hired and then went to UPT. Nice gig, in UPT and already have your seniority number.

Federal FMLA laws do not grant eligibility until the employee has accumulated about one year's worth of work hours in the previous 12 months. So granting new-hires FMLA would be generous on the part of any employer, ie they don't have to do it.

Worth noting that the work hours rule initially did not translate well for crew, because we "only" work about 85 hours/month. The law was actually modified to count duty vice block/credit for crews.

There was still a problem with home reserve not being counted as duty, FA's were really bent out of shape that they couldn't get baby leave if they sat a lot of reserve. Not sure if they fixed that.

Showing your DD214 only proves that you're not still on that AD tour. They may be concerned that folks on terminal leave might get recalled out of class? Seems far fetched.

But any military vet can immediately turn around and join the guard/reserves. Some components will even take retirees. So a DD214 in no way guarantees that you can't go right back on some sort of guard/reserve orders. A retired O6 would be less likely to do that than a separated O4.

Where do you live? I'll gladly come over to cut your lawn and pull weeds in your garden. How about next Veteran's Day?

Who cares if anyone takes advantage?

As long as it means more new hires-I'm 100% in favor!!

Two problems...

Too many folks blatantly gaming the system tends to poison the well for other vets, particularly "reserve age" vets. For that reason alone I tend to encourage military folks to have some consideration for those that follow.

Other issue is that while corporate America's accommodation of reservists is basically part of their civic obligation, airlines do carry more than their fair share of that burden relative to other business sectors. OTOH, they do benefit from a steady stream of trained and experienced pilots at some one else's expense. But they tend to forget that last part, and fixate on the emotional butt hurt of their scheduling challenges...I try to encourage folks not to fan that flame, ie keep a low profile so as not incentivize the lobbying of congress for legislative "relief" from USERRA.

Basically have consideration for those who follow you, and your own long-term best interests as a reservist.

You are correct, read the federal guidelines. Probationary pilots should go to PAN if they have an issue.

This wouldn't happen as much if first year pay didn't suck.

Personally, I'd rather commute to reserve than do a deployment. Fly a redeye transcon than sit thru more SAPR training. There are a lot of benefits to being in the military but there's a lot of crap to wade through too.

Your heart,SayAlt, is in the right place. Thanks for your respect. I already have a gardner but thanks anyway

This is what happened to me..

Between being called for an interview at Southwest, and the actual interview, I was involuntarily recalled to active duty.

I don't want to do this stupid mobilization to fill a billet, which is caused by the combined leadership failures of the Army AND Navy.. Army for not being able to man a O-4 with a TS billet fifteen years into the war, and the Navy for being generally spineless when our reservists are being ridden pretty hard, harder than a lot of active duty honestly.

But yet, I must go spend a year is the land of Sand. A year away from home.. A year without advancing my career, only to have lost any and all currency..

How much me having to go on an involuntary recall had to do with Southwest saying "no" after an interview I thought went well? Who knows.

But I was asked about my reserve status and how I intended to have it not interfere with Southwest's training and schedules.. Which may be due to one too many guys doing the get hired, and scam 5 years of "involuntary" orders to get an active retirement and seniority without being there. (I know of two guys doing just that, one at SWA and one at Delta, so yeah, it happens and isn't uncommon)