The Labor Department is reviewing United Airlines’ leave policies after the carrier implemented stricter measures to crack down on employees abusing sick time.
“Through quite a few recent inquiries from staff, the Wage and Hour Division has develop into aware of a possible change in United Airlines’ leave policies,” said Jessica Looman, the Labor Department’s wage and hour administrator.
Looman said the department can be working with the airline and staff to be sure that the corporate’s leave policies are in compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act.”
The FMLA ensures that certain employees have as much as 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per yr. Under the law, employees’ group health advantages must even be maintained during their leave.
This law applies to all public agencies in addition to all private and non-private elementary and secondary schools, and corporations with not less than 50 employees.
United told FOX Business that almost all of their flight attendants “are going above and beyond for our customers this summer,” but that the variety of sick calls has continued to “spike on weekends – and only weekends” this yr.
United’s contract with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA allows the carrier to require a physician’s note in cases of suspected abuse of sick time, United said, adding that the policy “is narrowly tailored to the times when abuse has been occurring.”
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the union representing United flight attendants, claims the move is an try to violate the contract and obligations under the law regarding sick leave rights.
Nevertheless, United said that its policy doesn’t interfere with the best to take approved unpaid leave under the FMLA, and complies fully with federal law and the union contract.
Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said that the union has been raising concerns to the Labor Department about United’s practices related to the FMLA, including auto designation and documentation, for over the past yr.
“Problems were brought into sharp focus this week when, within the midst of the CrowdStrike meltdown on Saturday, July 20, management sent an offensive and accusatory scheduling alert to require Flight Attendants submit absence certificates for all sick leave calls over weekend days,” Nelson said.
Nelson said its legal team has been interfacing again with the Labor Department this week. Individual flight attendants have also filed complaints with the department.
Meanwhile, United said it’s aiming to return to its prior system, where it didn’t require a physician’s note, soon.
