A Little off the Subject.

Dashtrash

Newbie
Jan 1, 2003
3
0
I was just fired due to too many sick days used last year. I have notified the union, and they are working on trying to get my job back. I am wondering what everyone''s opinion is about this issue. If a pilot has a run of bad luck and is sick too many days, can the company just fire him without first giving him a warning or some other type of punishment before just firing him? Also, if ALPA is unable to get my job back, do you think that I have a case to sue for wrongful termination.
(ex)DashTrash
 
Dashtrash,

Your story sounds like bullshizit to me! But go ahead and give us all the details and we'll let you know what we think.
 
Well I have proof that on a couple of the sick calls, I actually traveled all the way from my home to my domicile, checked into a hotel (crashpad) and then called in sick later that night or early in the morning. Now if I had just not wanted to work, I would have saved my self the hours traveling and the $45.

(ex)DashTrash
 
I believe they should counsel you first. Termination is a stepwise procedure with various consequences along the way. I know of cases where the company was able to prove that a person who had called in sick was actually swiming and water skiing on Long Island Sound. The termination was upheld.
 
Call the FAA and your media and notify them that Piedmont wanted you to fly sick and you have been terminated for not flying sick. That should put an end to this bull**** pronto! And remember the FARs do not say sick. They say something along the lines of physically or mentally unable to fly safely.
 
FARs don't allow you to pilot a plane while sick, but they don't let you keep your job because you're sick all the time. If you are sick that often, maybe you should look into another line of work. Why should everyone else have to pick up the slack for you?
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Gee, a guy with a lot of heart.
 
Dashtrash...Honestly..?..Were you NOT given sufficent WARNING..?
The company attendance policy is a corporate thing and we are all treated fairly under that policy..Did you ever NO-SHOW for work or late alot of times. Did you use sick-days in conjunction with days off or to extened a vacation. Your details are one sided and make for an assumption that you were fired for lack of a reason or a bad Manager...But really, I've been in enough hearings for attendence to know...ALWAYS check his/her record before presenting a one-sided case of employee misunderstanding or frogetting to tell HOW many days they have missed in the last year. We would ALL be on your side if your were fired unfairly, so give us the CORRECT details and we can advise you from there....JUST THE FACTS..
 
FARs don't allow you to pilot a plane while sick, but they don't let you keep your job because you're sick all the time. If you are sick that often, maybe you should look into another line of work. Why should everyone else have to pick up the slack for you?
 
I agree with the other guy, as long as you were not on some beautiful island enjoying the beach life, and we are not talking about an obscene amount of time. I would remind the company as well as the feds of the FAR that says, you shall not fly unless you are 100% period. every once and awhile the labor friendly types try to make an example. It is your duty to not put lives in jeopardy because your not up to snuff. Get a doctors note if you don't have one already and nail them!
 
I sat in on a couple of grievences where the company actually had a PI--Private Investigator-follow the person, take pictures, and give a report on what the person was doing. Just give us all the facts--how many occurances, were there doctors documentation, and are you sure you wern't warned. Remember they stick warnings in by saying, "gee you've been sick a lot last year" that's your warning like it or not. But it should be different levels like the rest of us I--be careful, II--next step is suspension, III--suspension 3 days without pay, IV--out the door. I understood this was company wide and not just peons. Letters must be in your file--you have a right to see your entire file.
Good luck
 
Unfortunately, the company normally runs any terminations through the legal department before the termination, just to make certain all the T's have been crossed, and I's have been dotted. That is not to say that what mgmt has presented to legal may not be incorrect. For your sake, I hope that is correct. But like previous writers have said, I have to believe that you were forewarned about your ongoing attendance problem, unless the company caught you on film while you were allegedly incapacitated. Good luck.