Vacation Reduction While on Occupational Leave

Now that Vacation Accrual Letters have been published, we are beginning to receive questions from Flight Attendants who have had an occupational illness or injury and who were absent from the work place during the vacation accrual year from August 30, 2019 – August 29, 2020.

Section 12.A.8. of our Contract provides the circumstances under which vacation is reduced for Leaves of Absence and specifically provides for an exception when Flight Attendants are on an Occupational Leave of Absence.

When a Flight Attendant is away from work due to an Occupational Illness or injury, she/he may be on one of two different statuses;

1. Occupational Leave of Absence

2. Occupational Extended Illness status

There are significant differences between these two statuses.

While on an Occupational Leave of Absence, affected Flight Attendants receive Temporary Total Disability (TTD) payments from Sedgewick, United’s Occupational Injury administrator which is not paid via United’s payroll system. However, because they are on a Leave of Absence, their vacation accrual for the period of absence is protected by the language in Section 12.A.8.

Conversely, Flight Attendants on Occupational Extended Illness status receive not only the TTD payments from Sedgewick, the are also eligible to receive supplemental pay from their occupational or personal sick leave bank and, most importantly, she/he remains on an active status – not a leave of absence. While on this status, she/he must also reach the paid activity metrics required to accrue vacation. Supplemental pay is predicated on the pay option elected (or defaulted) into by the individual Flight Attendant based on either the line value, the minimum (71 hours) or the maximum (100 hours.)

Review the following article on our website for additional examples.

If you have additional questions as to why you do not have full vacation accrual, contact the Vacation Team during their regular business hours.