Passenger Service Early Out

Aug 19, 2002
1,062
737
The JFK
www.usaviation.com
Passenger Service Team,
 
We are off and running in 2016 – and running right into a lot of snow! Winter Storm Jonas continues to deliver more than its fair share of winter weather in the Northeast. Over the past several days I have seen team members helping customers dig their cars out of the snow and heard stories of employees staying on call, working overtime, staying close to the airport in hotels, and finding alternative ways to work – all in the name of taking care of our customers. I am in awe of your continued dedication, and want to thank everyone working in the airports and on the other end of the line in our Reservations offices for powering through with gusto.
 
We recently shared details on when the company will implement various parts of the new joint collective bargaining agreement for employees represented by the CWA-IBT. We have posted that timeline and additional information, including interim overtime procedures, for your reference. I encourage you to review the information, as it addresses many of the questions we’ve been hearing.
 
Today, I want to share some good news – we have reached an agreement with the CWA-IBT to offer a voluntary Early Out package to employees at our airports. While the agreement signed is for all Passenger Service employees, we have different needs in different groups. Because we are currently overstaffed in many stations throughout the system as a result of extra staff we added to prepare for our PSS transition, we will offer the Early Out to our airport teams, as listed below. Our Reservations centers, on the other hand, need as much support as we can get, answering 160,000 calls per day. We may consider something similar for Reservations further down the line, but for now, we need all of our team members in our Res centers.
 
We committed that no employees would lose their jobs as a result of changes in this contract, and we stand by our promise. But if eligible airport employees are interested in taking an Early Out package, we’re giving them the chance to do so. Here are some details.
 
  • Airport Customer Service, Customer Assistance and Premium Customer Services employees who will have 15 or more years of company service in 2016 are eligible to apply.
  • If granted, employees will receive a lump sum payout of $40,000 for full-time employees and $25,000 for part-time employees. Payments will be less applicable withholdings and standard deductions.
  • Eligible employees will receive a taxable cash payout of $8.65 per sick hour up to a maximum of 1,400 sick hours.
  • Eligible employees will receive a taxable payout of any unused vacation and holiday vacation in the current year, and for vacation and holiday vacation accrued year-to-date for the subsequent year.
  • Eligible employees who meet the 65-point requirements (at least 10 years of active service and age + years of service equal at least 65) will qualify for retiree travel. These requirements must be met by your last day with the company. Employees who do not satisfy the 65-point requirements will not receive retiree travel privileges.
  • The Early Out application window will open Feb. 1 and close Feb. 22, and we’ll have more detailed information in the upcoming days.
 
Customer Service, Customer Assistance and Premium Customer Services employees at any domestic airport location are welcome to apply, however the company, in its discretion, will determine the number of Early Outs and where they’re granted by station. Some airport locations will have limited numbers to ensure we have enough staff to continue to serve our customers well.
 
 
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Only good if you already had a foot going out the door in the near future anyway. Better be on the brink of 65, or have another means of getting health care.
 
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If you are 62 and eligible for the PBGC / HTCT healthcare it might work. HTCT healthcare is guaranteed through 2019. 
 
Question, can you retire and then go to work for Envoy or Piedmont! 
 
If all you need is health care might work for some.
 
usa1 said:
If you are 62 and eligible for the PBGC / HTCT healthcare it might work. HTCT healthcare is guaranteed through 2019. 
 
Question, can you retire and then go to work for Envoy or Piedmont! 
 
If all you need is health care might work for some.
Go from $30 down to $12 for doing bacially the same work go to BJs
 
usa1 said:
If you are 62 and eligible for the PBGC / HTCT healthcare it might work. HTCT healthcare is guaranteed through 2019. 
 
Question, can you retire and then go to work for Envoy or Piedmont! 
 
If all you need is health care might work for some.
when did they renew this?
 
Worldport said:
Go from $30 down to $12 for doing basically the same work go to BJs
 
If you started your PBGC retirement check say (700.00 per month), take the lump sum (40,000), take your sick leave buyout (12,000) and then go to work for Envoy or Piedmont taking advantage of their healthcare insurance ......... work another 12-24 months and leave. Might work for some.          
 
usa1 said:
 
If you started your PBGC retirement check say (700.00 per month), take the lump sum (40,000), take your sick leave buyout (12,000) and then go to work for Envoy or Piedmont taking advantage of their healthcare insurance ......... work another 12-24 months and leave. Might work for some.          
PBGC does not allow collecting if you go back to work for the same employer or any of it's subsidiaries.
 
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But if you go back to work for a company that your work has been outsourced to, you are good to go!
 
AANOTOK said:
But if you go back to work for a company that your work has been outsourced to, you are good to go!
As long as it is not a subsidiary 
 
AANOTOK said:
But if you go back to work for a company that your work has been outsourced to, you are good to go!
 
No, if you retire and get rehired at "starting" pay even if it's a subsidiary you can. If they close your station and you are offered a job with a subsidiary and keep your pay seniority you can't. That's the way it use to be.
 
At DFW where I work, I could retire tomorrow and rehire with the company we outsourced all of our mail to. Bottom of the pole obviously, I would keep nothing as it is not affiliated with AA. (although it is ran by former AA management)
 
PBGC mainly affects LUS employees. It's hard to explain to someone that didn't lived through the nightmare.