Can anyone explain how FedEx contributes to the B-fund during periods of military leave of absence?

What hourly component do they use?

If you already have a full schedule and take MLOA on your days off, do they contribute above and beyond your line?

Thanks for any help or information.

Don't quote me, but as I understand it they use average BLG for your seat and any projected Upgrades you have locked in.

From a settlement for United Pilots on a similar question

http://classaction.kccllc.net/content.aspx?c=5746&sh=1

Short term: should be based on BLG.

Long term:
USERRA law states that if you can easily calculate what should have been earned than use that. If unable to determine than the law states to use a previous 12 month average pay from the date of MLOA. I think United lost a law suit for using the 12 month average and will look at the pilot one senior and junior to the MLOA pilot to determine earnings.

FedEx uses the 12 month average I think. It is a smaller amount for long term leaves since it does not include longevity pay increases.

I think that the key to this question is that you did mil on your days off. If you didn't miss any work due to mil orders, then then they don't contribute to your "B" plan.

Don't quote me but:

I think you are confusing ML and MLOA (my definitions). ML is the three or four days you are doing each month on your days off. You do not get B fund contributions for these. You get B fund contributions when you leave the company for greater than a period of 30 days, like you would for an activation. You no longer bid, you don't accrue vacation, lose CASS privileges (I think), but you do get B fund contributions. I believe they are based on your 12 month trailing average BLG (yours personally, not the fleets) and paid at your last pay rate, not some planned upgrade rate. The contribution is made in lump sum, when you return to the company following MLOA.

Question from pilot who left a regional on MLOA, asking "what if I get hired at a major". Wants to know how to get his regional airlines 3% match on 401K.

DRA = Dinky Regional Airline, MAL = Major Airline.

Q: How will my make-up contributions and the employer matches be computed?

A: The company will need to compute how much you would have earned from DRA for each month between October 2008 and September 2016 (your active duty period), and then your make-up contribution will be 3% of that amount. You have a lot at stake here, so you need to check the company’s math very carefully.


At a unionized airline like DRA or MAL, there is a pilot seniority roster based on date of hire. Let us say that Mary Smith is one spot above you on the roster and Bob Jones is one spot below you. Smith and Jones were among your classmates at the DRA rookie pilot class in 2007. They remained employed by DRA during the time that you were on active duty, from 2008 to 2016.
When you went on active duty in October 2008 you were on furlough status at DRA. When were Smith and Jones recalled from furlough? It is reasonable to conclude that you would have been recalled from furlough on that same date.
At a unionized airline, each pilot bids on a schedule each month, to cover the following month. The senior pilots normally get what they bid for, and the junior pilots (with little seniority) get what is left. Seniority also governs selection of aircraft type—pilots in larger aircraft get a greater hourly rate of pay than those flying smaller aircraft. And seniority often governs the timing for moving from the right seat (first officer) to the left seat (captain), with a substantial increase in pay.
For each month between October 2008 and September 2016, we can determine how many hours Smith and Jones flew and what their hourly rate of pay was. If you had remained at DRA instead of going on active duty, your hourly pay and number of hours worked would have been the same as that of Smith and Jones. Thus, we can come up with a very accurate estimate of how much you would have earned on a month-to-month basis during the entire eight years of your active duty period.

To clarify, yes you get your B fund contribution when on longer term MLA (over 30 days) within 90 days of your return.

You also get B fund contributions for each trip dropped for MLA when on short term (day to a few weeks) status. For example you have three 6 CH trips dropped for MLA over a 5 day MLA notification. Within 90 days you would receive 18 CH x your pay rate x 8% (to be 9% later in CBA) in your B fund AND those 18 CH are put into your general make up bank.

You can ensure these are being paid correctly by going to Vanguard and looking at "source" under contributions. Both short and long term MLA show source as "MLA" for these required USERRA contributions.

Are you sure about this? I would think that you would only get the B fund contributions once you make up the 18CH. Otherwise, I think you WOULD be getting "over and above" (8% + 8% for one 18CH trip).

Positive, 100%. If it's not happening for someone, contact FedEx ALPA Mil affairs.

For some history, FedEx did NOT pay B fund on short term MLA years ago. I think it was up to somewhere around 2005 that this got fixed. It was a clear violation of USERRA not to do so. Several pilots made complaints, got the ESGR ombudsman involved, and started a DOL investigation. Shortly after this happened, the union and the company came to an agreement that the company had been doing it wrong and pilots were to be made whole and it would be done correctly in the future. I heard (don't quote me) that the company had to pay over 10-15 million going back 7(?) years from the LOA to fix the "missed" B fund contributions for short term MLA. I got over $10,000 personally added to my account and it was paid correctly from then on.

Anyone who is doing short term (under 30 days) MLA can chime in. Just look at your source of contributions. You will see, 90 days after a MLA dropped trip, you get your 8% payment. I have talked to a couple of folks who didn't have this happen, and when they pointed it out, it was fixed. I don't know if it was an honest mistake or reindeer games? But, the company follows the law when it has to and paying B find on short-term MLA is the law.

And yes, you get your 8% when it's dropped. And, you get 8% when you fly a trip in M/U--doesn't matter what the cause of you getting the makeup hours is.