Sep 4, 2010

Occupational

*Note*  when asked to submit a Medical Release form, use the following form, instead of the one provided by Gallagher Bassett.  AFA Medical Release Form

Follow the steps in the AFA packet below, and review all the info here completely! You may need to refer back to the info posted here as you progress, so remember to check back!

• If you are injured, seek medical attention with your physician immediately
• Inform the company and submit your report immediately
• Don't allow Gallagher Bassett to tape record your conversation - they will ask
• Don't sign the medical release Gallagher Bassett sends you
• Sign only the form provided by AFA (
AFA Medical Release Form)
• Completely review the UAL F/A Occupational Packet;
• Obtain UAL F/A Occupational Packet from the FASC, or from SkyNet
• Return To Work (RTW) info on SkyNet (go to 'Onboard Service Home', then 'FASC' & 'Leave of Absence Home Page' from the pull-down menu)

 

Occupational Checklist – Download and Print the AFA Packet


 

• You can submit an Occupational Injury Report to a supervisor via Internet email. Copy your AFA Office in as well.
NRTSW Supervisor Contact email list.

• Call the F/A Service Center (FLT-LINE) Option 4, 4 for fax submission phone numbers.
• Contact Duty Supervisor through Domicile Coordinator for further questions.

 

When you are on Leave status, you will only have access to Skynet Lite.  Full access to Skynet is not available.  Access Skynet Lite.

Family & Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA) - excerpt from the AFA Occupational Benefits packet (direct link above)

 

The Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was developed to allow employees time off for their own medical needs or those of their family without worrying about losing their jobs. Although F/As do not qualify under the Federal statute, UAL has extended the policy to us. UAL’s policy does not require you to use FMLA concurrently with your occupational S/L, but you might consider doing so under certain circumstances. You should never use FMLA in place of filing an occupational claim. Use of FMLA cannot be used in discipline so if you use FMLA with you occupational S/L it will not be counted as an absence for dependability issues. This should only be considered if you are in discipline since an occupational absence should never be used as the triggering incident for discipline. You might also consider using it in increments if your injury is chronic & causes you to miss work periodically

Dues while on Occupational - Three-month obligation

AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws - Membership Article lll C.1.b.2:

Any member who takes a leave of absence for any reason which exceeds ninety (90) days shall continue in active status and pay dues for the first ninety (90) days of said leave of absence.

Pay Dues Online 

Return To Work (RTW) Process

 

For detailed information on the Return To Work (RTW) process, please review the United Airlines Occupational Leave Packet available on SkyNet (use the direct link above), or obtain a copy through the F/A Service Center.

Section 23.C of the Contract - Medical Leave of Absence

Upon request, the Company shall grant the following medical leaves of absence: occupational and non-occupational. When leaves of absence are granted due to occupational or non-occupational illness or injury, a F/A shall retain and accrue seniority for a period not to exceed three (3) years.

(Note: A F/A is automatically placed on leave of absence for illness or injury on the seventeenth (17th) day after exhaustion of all applicable sick leave credits.)

Unimatic Access Restricted While On LOA - From August 3, 2007 E-Lines:

F/As who are on a medical Leave of Absence (LOA) may have had their Unimatic access restricted as a result of programmatic changes completed by Onboard security last month. These F/As will no longer have access to their work histories or other information and must call the F/A Service Center to have their Unimatic profile updated to gain access once they return from their LOA.

Unimatic Access Reinstatement While On LOA - From August 17, 2007 E-Lines:

 

We've received reports about Flight Attendants being locked out of Unimatic while on Leaves of Absence. We have requested information and the company has advised us that anyone on a Leave of Absence was automatically locked out of Unimatic due to changes in security practices. Those Flight Attendants currently on LOA status who have less than 60 days remaining on their leave can call the Service Center to have access reinstated. Also, the company has informed us they are working to program reinstatement to Unimatic at the 60 day time frame.

Safety Review Meetings - From June 14, 2006 Dear-AFA:

 

An issue of importance to all of us is in regard to management’s new “Safety Review Program.”  While AFA studies this program to determine how to best address any issues or violations associated with it, we caution every Member to take an AFA representative** with you to any safety review meeting and decline to sign any documentation relating to this new program.

If you are requested to sign anything, decline the request and bring the incident to the attention of your Local Council office. If you are given a direct order specifically directing you to sign the form or face termination, sign it and write the following below your signature: “My signature is not voluntary but is executed from a direct order from…” and be sure to name the supervisor. This circumstance must also be reported to your
Local Council immediately.

From "Your Rights As An Employee"

 

** Our Contract gives us a right to a witness of our choice present in any discussion with more than one management person which may lead to disciplinary action. In fact, the company must advise you of this right. You have a reasonable length of time (not to exceed 24 hours) to obtain your witness. Do not allow the company to select a F/A of their choice for convenience. You may delay the discussion until you find a witness who is satisfactory to you provided you do not exceed 24 hours to obtain this person.

Though the Contract provides a right to a witness when more than one management person is present, it is advisable to request representation even in a one-on-one situation.  If your request is refused, notify your Local Council Grievance Chairperson as soon as possible. 

One exception to the 24-hour rule would be if the evidence would disappear with time, i.e., being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In such a case the employee may be required to obtain a witness more promptly. In all other cases, however, you are entitled to 24 hours to obtain the witness of your choice. A System Board Decision, MEC 1-79, states that the employee must be allowed up to 24 hours to obtain a witness even if the company wishes to complete a suitcase search prior to trip departure. Your right to a witness supersedes the company's wish to avoid replacing you on the trip. In such a case, you would be removed from the trip with pay.

If there is a question about your right to have a witness, refer to Section 26.F.6. of our Contract. Also, inform your Local Council at once if this representation is denied.

 

Notifying United of OCCUPATIONAL Injury/Illness

From the AFA Occupational Benefits Package:

United (UAL) would like the F/A to report the injury/illness within 24 hours. Illinois allows 45 days from the day it is known it is work related. However, the longer the delay in reporting, the longer it will take to process the claim & begin benefits. Make sure the supervisor notifies the F/A Service Center (FASC) to begin the process. If you don’t call in sick immediately, tell the supervisor to change your status to a Lost Time Injury (LTI) at Gallagher Bassett (GB) when you do, GB should call you within 48 of calling in sick.

Double check your work history for updated claim acceptance status.

Only Gallagher Bassett (GB) Claims Adjustors approve or deny claims; Supervisors DO NOT approve or deny claims.

 

From SkyNet Rumor Central:

12/17/04
Q. I've heard that since putting suitcases in overhead bins is out of our 'scope,' we are not covered medically or compensated for time off work if we are injured putting suitcases in overhead bins. True or False?

A. This is false. While we encourage flight attendants to seek other options when attempting to assist customers to stow bags, we recognize that there may be times where it is prudent to provide such physical assistance. If a flight attendant is injured while assisting a customer put a bag in the bin, he/she should report this injury to his/her supervisor within 24 hours. These injuries will be filed with our third party insurance company which is responsible for determining if his or hers is a work-related injury. If the insurance claims adjuster determines that it is, medical care will be covered and the flight attendant will be compensated in accordance with state Worker's Compensation Laws.

Section 20.D of the Contract - Physical Examinations

 

A.     Where a disagreement exists over a F/A's ability to work, a F/A, at her/his option, may have a review of the case. The request for such review must be made within thirty (30) days of notice of the disputed decision by the Company's doctor. Such review will proceed in the following manner:

 

1.     The F/A may employ a qualified medical examiner of her/his own choosing and at her/his own expense for the purpose of conducting a physical examination.

 

2.     The employee will arrange for a report and recommendation of her/his personal doctor to be made in writing to the Company physician. This report must be made within forty (40) days of the disputed decision by the Company's doctor. The personal doctor will specify whether or not the F/A is considered medically fit to perform the duties outlined in the F/A job description. In the event both doctors reach the same conclusion as to fitness, no further review will be afforded.

 

3.     In the event that the findings of the medical examiner chosen by the F/A shall disagree with the finding of the medical examiner employed by the Company and upon receipt of the attending physician's report, the Company physician will advise the F/A's Manager that a disagreement exists. The Manager will in turn communicate this to both the employee and the LEC President.

 

4.     If the F/A remains unwilling to accept the findings of the Company physician and wishes to pursue medical arbitration, she/he will so advise the Manager in writing.

 

5.     After consultation with WHQLR - Labor Relations, the Manager will review the Section 20-D procedures for medical arbitration with the Company physician.

 

6.     The Company physician will promptly contact the F/A's personal doctor and the two shall, within fifteen (15) days, agree upon a disinterested third doctor to determine the F/A's fitness for work. With respect to cost, the two doctors should consider that the fee for the neutral's examination is shared equally by the Company and the F/A.

 

7.     When the neutral doctor has been selected, the Company doctor will provide the neutral's name and address to the Domicile Manager who will send written confirmation with copies to the F/A, the MEC and LEC Presidents, WHQLR-Labor Relations and the other two doctors. Such written confirmation will be on a standard form letter, mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Union.

 

8.     The neutral doctor's decision will not be made until:

a.     The employee's complete medical file with respect to the illness/injury has been reviewed.

b.    Appropriate examination has been accomplished.

c.     Personal consultation with both the Company's physician and the employee's personal doctor has been accomplished.

 

9.     The neutral doctor will make a written report of his findings to the Company physician and the employee's personal doctor.

 

10.  The Company doctor will communicate the neutral's decision of fitness to the Domicile Manager who will, within three (3) working days, notify the employee with copies to the MEC and LEC Presidents and WHQLR - Labor Relations. Return to work status, if appropriate, will be arranged without delay.

Throughout the process, the non-medical Company and Union participants should absolutely avoid any discussion pertaining to the actual or possible medical diagnosis and related matters. Medical confidentiality between the F/A and the doctors must be strictly maintained. The non-medical Company and Union officials are only to be concerned with whether the employee is ultimately judged medically fit to perform the work.

Inflight Services management will only deal with United physicians on medical matters involving F/As. They will not deal directly with outside consultants, neutral doctors or a F/A's own physician, except on administrative matters. In the event one of these outside doctors initiates a contact on a medical matter to a person in management, that doctor should be referred to United Medical.

 

E.      When a F/A is removed from flying status by the Company as a result of failure to pass the Company's physical examination and appeals such action under the provisions of this Section, she/he shall, if such action is proven to be unwarranted as provided in Paragraph D of this Section, be paid for the time lost the difference between the amount which she/he would ordinarily have earned had she/he been continued on flight status during such period and the amount received from any other employment or unemployment compensation during the period removed from flight status.

Still have question? Contact the NRT Occupational Committee volunteer via "Committee Roster" page

 

© 2006.  Content courtesy of AFA-CWA Council 12 Los Angeles. All Rights Reserved.

 


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