SCP OR told my SIC class a few years ago that if your dog ate your homework or your favorite team lost, sick leave is for you to use.

No, I'm not exagerating -- those are the exact examples he used.

I also had a conversation with Don M. Due to the circumstances of the call, I didn't immediately grasp what he was fishing for. Once I figured out his motive, I used the phrase, "When I determined I was not fit to fly, I called in sick."

There's nothing they can do at that point short of sending you to the Company doc.

The Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prevents them from digging deeper. The FAA says that you, the pilot, are the only one who can determine if you are fit to fly. Refer to your handy, dandy FDX ALPA calendar for a copy of the FAA's "IMSAFE" checklist. (Inside the front cover) Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Eating -- Look at AIM 8-1-1 of FAA-H-8083-25A.

If you tell your manager you are not fit to fly, he can either take you at your word, or he can refer you to the Company doc. Whether it's a pimple or a heart attack, or you're stressed because you've had a fight with your wife, it's none of his business. You make the call, and don't feel obligated to offer specifics.


Sick and disability are compensation which we have earned, and which many people never collect. Wouldn't it be nice if we could be paid a portion of those banks in exchange for something The Company wants? Maybe, like, giving them prior notice of our retirement? They hate the fact that we can retire with no notice, or even as little as 30 days notice if we want no breaks in our pay. What if we gave them 12 month's notice in exchange for the value of our disability and sick banks, or some prorated portion for less notice? 6 months notice -- 60% of the value of the banks. 3 months notice -- 30% ...


But back to the original question. There's a trip in open time. Make-up puts money in next month's paycheck, and contributions to the 401k right away. Make-up sick puts it in a bank where it might pay me something somewhere down the road. Which is more valuable to me?

Pay me now, or pay me (maybe) later?

I know which I'll choose.






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Manager on fishing expedition: "We've noticed your sick leave usage has been going up lately...."

Pilot: "Yeah. I'm getting older."

Manager: "........."

Pilot: "It's probably gonna get worse."

Yes Tony, I'm well aware of all that.

I just thought the guy would be happy for me, so I told him what was going on. You know, new baby and all that.

He started haranguing me for calling in, and I said, tell you what Don, just call scheduling and tell them to put me back on the trip. My wife has done this three times already, she doesn't really need me there. He finally backed off at that point.

Cloudsailor, I love your cockeyed optimism. I was like that for my first decade or so here. I'm not like that now.

That's why I spend time here Huck, keeping it real. I don't want to be too optimistic

A good example of why you might wish to use MUS, MUD, or even MUV.
You have (one of these) banks. A trip pops into open time. DH to (your home town) operate or HTSBY or something easy, operate back to... your home town, DH to base. Great trip, easy to do, lots of credit for little time away. Problem is, everyone else thinks so too, lots of requests for M/U or VLT. Sure, you would love the money now, everyone does, but requesting a trip is not the same as getting it.
If you have a full or nearly full sick bank, this is a better play than hoping you can beat the BOTS. It isn't instant gratification, but its real money never the less.

I have some buddies that take their sick time to zero each year. To me, that's a bad idea. I was out for surgery a couple years ago and was amazed at how quickly I burned through 200+ hours of disability. Glad I had it in there. But as far as MUS, that's not for me. Time with my family is more valuable than MUS that may or may not pay me years from. Who knows what life brings? I'd hate to do a 200+ hours of MUS only to die young and that time was wasted.

I just wish that guys would not come to work sick. I have flown 10 day trips with guys coughing and sneezing snot all over the cockpit. Stay home.

On something like one of those right now. Even said he/she was thinking about calling in but didn't. Should've.

Not sure what you are flying with or is the person in question going through transition???

It's a crying shame that it's not like that. I do believe we've had a couple of good guys in those positions, but it's not the norm. You'd like to be able to let your guard down and talk to them like real people -- share your joy or your pain -- but that's just not in our best interest anymore.






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