Wed, Feb 01, 2012
Had Not Previously Been Included Under The Provisions Of The
Law
Nearly two decades after the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was
signed into law, Flight Attendants and other flight crews have been
granted the same access to coverage that has long benefited working
families. Monday, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA)
President Veda Shook (pictured) took part in the official
announcement from Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis on the
implementation of the Airline Flight Crew Family and Medical Leave
Act.
"This is an exciting day for Flight Attendants and flight crew
across the nation as Secretary Solis announces this proposed rule
that provides peace of mind and real protections for hundreds of
thousands of families," said Shook. "For decades, AFA has
negotiated Flight Attendant contracts that have provided these
vital protections and it is a monumental achievement that, from
today forward, all airline workers have the ability to care for
their families."
The FMLA requires most employers to provide job-protected unpaid
leave to employees who have worked 60 percent of a full-time
schedule over the course of a year. However, the courts and federal
agencies disregarded that original intent and narrowly defined the
"full time schedule" as that of a traditional 40 hour work week,
thereby excluding Flight Attendants whose schedules do not fall
within the traditional 9-5 work day. The Airline Flight Crew FMLA
corrects this misinterpretation of the original legislation and
extends vital coverage to flight crews.
The rule-making proposed by the Hour and Wage Division of the
Department of Labor provides specific instruction on how to
implement the technical correction and apply the standards for
crewmember benefits. "Flight Attendants are first responders. We
are caregivers and it is critical that we also have the right to
care for our families. FMLA requires corporations to do the right
thing. For years, some airlines thought they had found a way around
that. We negotiated for equal treatment and then worked for
legislation that provided a correction for all. This rule-making
finally puts into practice defined procedures for all crewmembers
to access FMLA benefits," Shook stated.
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