Dunno. I've been asking everyone I've SIMed with in IAH and everyone I've flown with since hitting the line in Sep. It's just one of the bits of advice I've received.

I was one of the fortunate ones to receive a call for "excessive sick calls". Exactly 5 in a rolling 12 month cycle. It really ****ed me off. I was all set to get my FMLA paperwork filed but remembered what ALPA said in an email. "Call us before you get FMLA for yourself, which I did. The answer came directly from ALPA legal to me. FMLA could open you to a fit for duty request from the company which could cost you your medical. So it was recommended not to do that. They also stated that the company policy is guidelines only and has no legal teeth. The lawyer stated no one has lost their job to excessive sick calls that they haven't got it back for them with back pay. He recommended I call in sick as needed and not worry one iota about the CP office intimidation. Whoever stated, that it is to get the ones with a lack of fortitude to save their sick leave and retire with thousands of hours, is dead on! After a 30 minute conversation with the ALPA lawyer I feel confident in saying "use as much as you need, nothing more, nothing less!"