Source: Elines

The company has initiated the sick call policy and procedures this holiday season, affecting the 16-day time period every year henceforth, beginning December 20, 2017, through January 4, 2018. The same stipulations for an Absence Certificate will also apply each year during the 8-day period of July 1-7. The policy affects only these two times of the year.

Flight Attendants who call off for illness/injury on any of the days indicated above must supply an Absence Certificate to United Medical, in compliance with Section 13.C.4 of JCBA. The Absence Certificate is required regardless of whether the sick call is paid, as per Section 13.D.7, and is also mandatory if a sick call is made in order to care for a minor child or spouse. Flight Attendants who need to utilize their approved FMLA during these specified holiday dates are not exempt and will be required to provide the Absence Certificate upon return.

IMPORTANT - A DOCTOR'S NOTE IS NOT THE SAME AS AN ABSENCE CERTIFICATE. NEVER GIVE AN ABSENCE CERTIFICATE TO A SUPERVISOR OR ANYONE BUT THE UNITED MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. 

 In order to comply with the criteria for an Absence Certificate:

•  Print out the Absence Certificate Form (from Flying Together) and bring a copy with you to your physician's appointment. 

• The Absence Certificate must be prepared and signed by the physician after an in-person visit by the Flight Attendant to the physician’s office. 
• Flight Attendants must actually be seen by an accredited physician in a timely manner, but no later than 72 hours after notifying Scheduling of an illness/injury.
• The Absence Certificate must be submitted to United Medical via fax at (847)-700-2600 on or before check-in time of a Line-holder’s first trip, or a Reserve’s first assignment including Airport Alert and Standby Reserve, following an illness or injury.
• If a physician’s release (Absence Certificate) is not received, the Flight Attendant will have 72 hours after her/his first trip flown, Airport Alert or Standby Reserve assignment to provide the Absence Certificate.

Note: Flight Attendants who have not called off sick or injured in the past 12-month period are exempt from the Absence Certificate requirement.