United announced a few days ago that travel for eligibles will no longer require supervisor approval while the employee is on sick leave or medical leave of absence.

Doesn't this have a familiar ring to it?  Remember on April 10, 2001 when that silly, half-baked cell-phone policy (only applied to flight attendants and pilots) first came out and said that phones "may not be used at any time by uniformed flight attendants while on the aircraft, in briefings or while walking through the terminal."

Then, on May 9, 2001, they changed their minds and dropped the 'while walking through the terminal" part from the policy.  Oopsedaisies.  We went too far!

While this recent change of ruling for the sick leave 'policy' is a small breath of fresh air, it doesn't do much to undo the damage and insult caused by what they originally created.  Their timing for the sick leave policy overall couldn't have been worse.