Family Leave Abuses...is anyone in charge..oes anyone care?

[pitguy]

In the maintenance area we have a special coordinator that the management uses to approve FMLA. It is a very lengthy process. The employee at no time can have direct communication with the coordinator. This results in allot of heart ache when seeking much needed FMLA. I am told in the Reservations area that one may just go to their direct supervisor and have their FMLA approved in about two minutes. Maybe this could be part of the issue at hand.

 

[Res]

We have alot of abuses in res and also at the ATos..are other departments within the company as guilty of family leave abuses?

 

[AP Tech]

I can't say in Maintenence we have that many abusing the system, because the company makes it so difficult to obtain FMLA. I am told that there are many complaints and pending suits aganist USAirways for FLMA. I know for a fact that this month alone we have had two individuals who have taken their own lives, along with several others the past year or so. Can't blame this entirely on the company, but they are not helping things much!

 

[gilbertguy]

At one time it was handed out like candy on Halloween....many abuses even thought the law is very restrictive of who qualifies.....it was offered to me years ago when I was pushing my luck with my sick time! This from my station mgmt.....Does anyone have the actual FMLA rules....I would be curious to know if the Feds re-imburse the co. in some manner with tax money.....

 

[CS-pro]

[STRONG]I know of someone who always manages to take unpaid FULL DAY fmla on almost every FRIDAY, or a MONDAY, or both, therefore enjoying a long weekend(never works swaps or OT on weekends to make up for the lost wages either),and never takes leave on a TUES OR WED., and never gets caught or questioned. Amazing how an illness attack always occurs in conjunction with a weekend or holiday. Geez, What are the odds??? Is it Lottery ticket time?? LOL...... Ruins it for the honest users and needers. Enough said..LOL![/STRONG]

 

[hopethingswillbeok]

i have been preaching for months about this abuse, but no one wanted to listen...instead of taking a major paycut, like getting paid seventy five percent while your on vacation....i asked the cwa to look into this abuse, and give into the company.....oh no they didn't see anything wrong with the family leave plan, once again they advised me they really don't care how much money it cost the company......this union sucks, they only care about themselves........i posted over six months ago about the abuse, but no one said a word.....now that we all have been hit, the good employees that is everyone is finally seeing what i was talking about...also some day you will all look about all the paycuts we have taken, but members of the same sex get to be on our insurance.....why do you think we will no longer have the insurance that we had? i am not bashing same sex partners, but unless the law says you are married than your married......also does anyone know about the abuse of partners living together.....i know for fact business men that are paying employees to say they live together to fly free.....this is happening so think of all the business the company no longer receives revenue for....the airlines have made this mess.....please tell me of another company outside of the airlines that allow this......

 

[exjetgurl]

[P]Maybe the company should put St. John's Wort in the water coolers.... Ive been told many employees (pilots too) are out on medical leave due to depression. I have friends at other airlines and the numbers are similar at those carriers too. Sad....[/P]

 

[CS-pro]

[BR][BR]
[BLOCKQUOTE][BR]----------------[BR]On 10/25/2002 8:17:36 PM hopethingswillbeok wrote:[BR][BR]i have been preaching for months about this abuse, but no one wanted to listen...instead of taking a major paycut, like getting paid seventy five percent while your on vacation....i asked the cwa to look into this abuse, and give into the company.....oh no they didn't see anything wrong with the family leave plan, once again they advised me they really don't care how much money it cost the company......this union sucks, they only care about themselves........i posted over six months ago about the abuse, but no one said a word.....now that we all have been hit, the good employees that is everyone is finally seeing what i was talking about...also some day you will all look about all the paycuts we have taken, but members of the same sex get to be on our insurance.....why do you think we will no longer have the insurance that we had?  i am not bashing same sex partners, but unless the law says you are married than your married......also does anyone know about the abuse of partners living together.....i know for fact business men that are paying employees to say they live together to fly free.....this is happening so think of all the business the company no longer receives revenue for....the airlines have made this mess.....please tell me of another company outside of the airlines that allow this......[BR][BR]----------------[BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR]My understanding of same sex cohabitation, [STRONG]for any med or travel benefits, [/STRONG]is they must present some indisputeable tangible proof of being in a long term relationship. Only things I can think of would be Driv/licenses and maybe joint/individ. chkg. accts, to be listed under the same address for a certain period of time( 6 mos? a year?) ahead of trying to qualify for such benefits,otherwise it would appear contrived and fraudulent.And even these examples are not 100 pct foolproof, especially if you have long term casual roomate situations.[/BLOCKQUOTE][BR][BR]

 

[Slam&Click]

[BLOCKQUOTE][BR]On 10/25/2002 8:17:36 PM hopethingswillbeok wrote:[BR]...why do you think we will no longer have the insurance that we had?[BR].....please tell me of another company outside of the airlines that allow this......[BR][/BLOCKQUOTE][BR][BR]The Big Three Automakers -- This link will take you to the listing of the Fortune 500 Companies as of October, 2001[BR][LINK][A href=http://www.nlgja.org/pubs/DP/DPfortune.html]http://www.nlgja.org/pubs/DP/DPfortune.html[/A][/LINK][BR][BR]Below is a link I've provided to offer figures as of August, 2002 giving you an idea of how widespread same sex partner benefits has become in the US corporate world; it is not airline specific.[BR][BR][LINK][A href=http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/local/30795.php]http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/local/30795.php[/A][/LINK][BR][BR]I am a heterosexual female, I am married to a male and have children, so my stance on this issue is not one of a personal nature. [BR][BR]I do not agree that same-sex partners are the ruination of the insurance benefits programs that we currently have at USAirways, or within the airline industry. There are currently more than 4500 companies nationwide that provide same sex partner benefits to cohabitating/domestic couples. This is not a trend that will end at that number, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with providing benefits to the employee's significant other just because that person isn't a member of the opposite sex. This simply has nothing whatsoever to do with the current demise and downfall of the airline industry.[BR][BR]You have every right to be angry with the current working conditions and the incredible uncertainties that face you each waking day, however, this is not the issue with which you should focus your anger. Those employees pay the going benefits premium required by their company just like you or I.[BR]

 

[Res]

We have some in res that disappear for months at a time, only to use up all their family leave...then there is a amazing recovery, for about several months..perfect attendance, until more family leave is earned, then the disappearance starts all over again. Most of this starts over the holiday months. Nothing is ever said to the employees that abuse the policy...I just don't understand. This goes on year after year ...ever since family leave started.

 

[oldtimer]

Unfortunately/fortunately (depending on your point of view) FMLA is federally mandated, therefore no company with over 50 employees has a choice in the matter. Secondly, federal law prevents anyone from questioning anyone who calls in using FMLA. If, however, the company feels that it is being abused, then they can delve deeper into the FMLA, such as hiring private security to watch the individual, to make certain they are in fact unable to work, and if they are caught in the act then can be terminated. I know of 3 cases personally that individuals have been fired calling in with FMLA, then proceeded to do yard work. Thirdly, no company is reimbursed for lost wages/time/expenses when their employees use FMLA. This was all Clinton-era legislation. And although I agree with the principle of FMLA, the loopholes have been found/used and abused.

 

[pitguy]

The company has lots of options including using their company doctor to review or contacting the individuals doctor (there are restrictions). They can also have the FMLA redone on a frequent basis. In the maintenance area they do this all the time. The bad part it they do it the people who rarely use it, but need it and they feel like they are being harassed. There is tons of red tape we must go through in the maintenance area for legitimate FMLA.