When to call in sick?

Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Ok, come on now, a case like that one would obviously be taken care of in a different way.
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Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Your CP would in all likeliness already know you are waiting for a waiver and they would never have to send a PI.
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It is incredible that you assert that a case like that one would "obviously" be taken care of in a different way, and then in the very next sentence, you use the phrase "in all likeliness" to describe what a chief pilot would know about why a pilot is out on medical leave.

That's the most efficient way to invalidate one's own point I have seen in a while.
 
Here is the other thing you need to remember. Even when the pilot REALLY screws up, 99% of the time the company doesn't want to 'fire' the pilot, they want to send a very strong message to them to knock it off, don't let it happen again, and become a model employee. Companies invest a lot in a pilot and it gets really expensive even without having to worry about a grievance with backpay/legal fees/etc. So I wouldn't say it is 'hard', I would say it is 'undesirable' from a company stand point.

With that said, sometimes the union does get a bad stigma of defending those who some think should not be defended. Well, yes, some guys really screw up, but we all know the company isn't going to fire them for that one instance so let us make sure we have proper representation in place to make sure the company doesn't take it to far with this person or take it to far for the next person. This way all the legal needs are met and usually you can correct the behavior this way rather than taking it further.
 
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Nick said:
It is incredible that you assert that a case like that one would "obviously" be taken care of in a different way, and then in the very next sentence, you use the phrase "in all likeliness" to describe what a chief pilot would know about why a pilot is out on medical leave.

That's the most efficient way to invalidate one's own point I have seen in a while.
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I've been through a waiver process, so no, it is different. And yes, the CP will know about it. You are not flying in that timeframe. That's the difference. Until the FAA clears you, you are pretty much hosed. Both the CP and HR know about what's going on and what your non-flying status is.

I was not talking about this kind of case. IF an airline has sent a PI after a pilot, chances are this pilots is not in a waiver process, nor is this a first sick call of the year. Airlines, like private corporations throughout America, will use PIs when they suspect gross abuse of the system.
 
amorris311 said:
I will pay big money to hear the tapes when CC has to call a union rep. It is always funny when the guy in the crew room rips on the union but once they get in hot water guess who they call?
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Knock yourself out. :) Ask higney85. They wanted to force me to work in my day off on a junior man into my wife's bday. Would I do it for my current company? Yes. For 9E? No. And I didn't. Worst case was getting a missed assignment placed on the record which would have dropped in 12 calendar months. But perhaps getting the union involved was probably the reason it was just all "swept away."

Look, I'm not one of the problem childs. That one example was the only time I was called into the CP office for "something." I'm a usually show up to work, do my job, and go home kinda guy.
 
Seggy said:
Here is the other thing you need to remember. Even when the pilot REALLY screws up, 99% of the time the company doesn't want to 'fire' the pilot, they want to send a very strong message to them to knock it off, don't let it happen again, and become a model employee. Companies invest a lot in a pilot and it gets really expensive even without having to worry about a grievance with backpay/legal fees/etc. So I wouldn't say it is 'hard', I would say it is 'undesirable' from a company stand point.

With that said, sometimes the union does get a bad stigma of defending those who some thing should not be defended. Well, yes, some guys really screw up, but we all know the company isn't going to fire them for that one instance so let us make sure we have proper representation in place to make sure the company doesn't take it to far with this person or take it to far for the next person. This way all the legal needs are met and usually you can correct the behavior this way rather than taking it further.
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This I agree with. +1
 
"Your CP would in all likeliness already know you are waiting for a waiver and they would never have to send a PI."

Nope. None of their business. I was sick.

"I flew with one guy this month who already told me what trip he was going to call in sick for in December."

Where I work, it's in the contract to notify skeds as soon as possible when your not going to be available. If you have a doctors appointment in two weeks the WANT you to call them two weeks prior.
 
DE727UPS said:
"Your CP would in all likeliness already know you are waiting for a waiver and they would never have to send a PI."

Nope. None of their business. I was sick.

"I flew with one guy this month who already told me what trip he was going to call in sick for in December."

Where I work, it's in the contract to notify skeds as soon as possible when your not going to be available. If you have a doctors appointment in two weeks the WANT you to call them two weeks prior.
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I'm 90% sure the guys isn't calling in for a doctor's appointment. I know plenty of guys who are pretty good at forecasting when they're gonna get a head cold or sinus infection. They're even more accurate in cases where it's a) an unproductive trip or b) they have other things they want to do than work during that time period. It's almost uncanny.

We're not talking about guys waiting on waivers. If you can't use your medical for some reason, then, at least at both of the airlines I've flown for, you're supposed to notify the CP. I don't know the rules at UPS, but here and at the previous shop "It's none of their business" wasn't a valid argument when it came to something like a waiver on your medical. So, much as it pains me to do so, I have to agree with Cherokee Cruiser on that point.
 
Some gray areas in there that I won't get into. It wasn't cut and dried. When the point comes you need to go on disability then it's a different story.

I guess my big argument is not everyone who calls in sick a week in advance is gaming the system. In fact, where I work, most aren't. Not to say we don't have people who abuse the system cause we do. But I wouldn't jump on someone who takes a day in the middle of a week of reserve a week in advance. I do reserve exclusively (almost) and it can be hard to pre-plan doctors appointments around blocks of reserve days.

"If you can't use your medical for some reason"

Bear in mind anytime your sick you can't use your medical.
 
DE727UPS said:
Some gray areas in there that I won't get into. It wasn't cut and dried. When the point comes you need to go on disability then it's a different story.

I guess my big argument is not everyone who calls in sick a week in advance is gaming the system. In fact, where I work, most aren't. Not to say we don't have people who abuse the system cause we do. But I wouldn't jump on someone who takes a day in the middle of a week of reserve a week in advance. I do reserve exclusively (almost) and it can be hard to pre-plan doctors appointments around blocks of reserve days.

"If you can't use your medical for some reason"

Bear in mind anytime your sick you can't use your medical.
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Okay, how about if you have a long term condition in which your medical will not be legally usable for the time being. You know, like something that requires a waiver. But, sure. Let's just continue to be argumentative when it's obvious what my point was. And again, I don't have a problem with guys calling in for something legit (like a doctor's visit) in advance. I've done that myself. What we're talking about (and again, I guess it was obvious to ALMOST everyone) are the guys that don't get the days off they want and use their sick time to fix it.
 
kellwolf said:
Okay, how about if you have a long term condition in which your medical will not be legally usable for the time being. You know, like something that requires a waiver. But, sure. Let's just continue to be argumentative when it's obvious what my point was. And again, I don't have a problem with guys calling in for something legit (like a doctor's visit) in advance. I've done that myself. What we're talking about (and again, I guess it was obvious to ALMOST everyone) are the guys that don't get the days off they want and use their sick time to fix it.
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If you can't Flica it, Sicka it!
 
kellwolf said:
Okay, how about if you have a long term condition in which your medical will not be legally usable for the time being. You know, like something that requires a waiver. But, sure. Let's just continue to be argumentative when it's obvious what my point was. And again, I don't have a problem with guys calling in for something legit (like a doctor's visit) in advance. I've done that myself. What we're talking about (and again, I guess it was obvious to ALMOST everyone) are the guys that don't get the days off they want and use their sick time to fix it.
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Sorry sir. Did not mean to be argumentative. Too old for that. Got it out of my system a while back.
 
Derg said:
Call in sick when you're sick, don't call in sick when you're really not sick.

Defining abusive usage, well, I'm in my early 40's and in good health.

Stuff that goes wrong in your 20's graduates to a whole new level in your 30's, then accelerates in your 40's, I can't even imagine what the 50's and 60's are like.
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It's like the warranty expired on me when I turned 45. I turned into a facsimile of the Bluesmobile at the end of the movie.

If you're sick, and you have a reasonable expectation of the company hassling you, get a note. It's as simple as hobbling down to your closest Sick People Collection Center, otherwise known as Urgent Care. It's your golden ticket to stress free illness recovery. Getcher note, fire up the XBOX and chillax until you're better. Your coworkers thank you. People who come to work sick and get me sick are my mostest unfavorite people anywhere in the universe.

Richman
 
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