Source: Dear AFA

Today's payroll is generating a number of questions as it pertains to Alliant Credit Union deductions, specifically, people are noticing that some deductions are coming from each of the various paychecks Flight Attendants receive: per diem, salary and duty free. To the extent the total funds aren't there, the amount of the check is being transferred.  For example, if a Flight Attendant has set a $500 transfer to savings, which formerly came only from the regular pay, the new system is processing this transfer differently.  Now, in addition to transferring the money from regular pay, the system will attempt to take the entire amount from duty free and per diem checks.  If the check amounts are less than the $500, the entire amount of the check will then be transferred to Alliant.

Of greater significance, if the balance of your paycheck is transferred to another financial institution, depending upon the amount of your Alliant Credit Union deductions, the amount of money you expect to be transferred elsewhere may not be available.

When asked how Flight Attendants were notified of this change, reference was made to United's Alliant FAQ document in which the answer to the question could be found.  Specifically:

• How will domestically-based flight attendant per diem and incentive checks be affected by this change?

All of the direct deposits that you set up are taken from each check, including per diem, duty free and Performance Bonus checks. The payroll system follows the priority and amounts that you set up for your direct deposits. For example, suppose you have a $200 Alliant deduction. Prior to the transition, $200 would be deducted from your 1st and 16th of the month checks, but not from the per diem or duty free checks. After the transition, the $200 Alliant direct deposit would be deducted from your 1st and 16th of the month checks and also from the per diem and duty free checks. Assuming you had a $700 per diem check, $200 would go to your Alliant account and $500 would go to your net balance direct deposit. Assuming your duty free incentive was $30, all of it would go to your Alliant account.

We have reiterated that the information was not prominently communicated to Flight Attendants and that a change of this magnitude is clearly something that deserve more than a cursory reference to a Q & A document.

United's entire Alliant Credit Union Q & A is now available from our website.