Narrative:

After a hurried introduction at the airplane, it wasn't until taxi out that I realized the first officer was using a full box of tissue, one after another. I could see how uncomfortable he was coughing and blowing his nose. I asked if he had allergies, to which he responded that he was 'getting over a cold.' I asked why he would come into a cockpit with what I considered to be a full blown cold, and subject me and the rest of the crew to his illness. He said that he was being furloughed and if he used sick leave, he would lose pass privileges. I consider this a policy that certainly does not promote safety, and arguably does the opposite.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 CAPT RPTS HIS COMPANY FORCES PLTS TO FLY WHEN SICK. THE ACR THREATENS WITHDRAW OF PASS PRIVILEGES TO FURLOUGHED PLTS.

Narrative: AFTER A HURRIED INTRODUCTION AT THE AIRPLANE, IT WASN'T UNTIL TAXI OUT THAT I REALIZED THE FO WAS USING A FULL BOX OF TISSUE, ONE AFTER ANOTHER. I COULD SEE HOW UNCOMFORTABLE HE WAS COUGHING AND BLOWING HIS NOSE. I ASKED IF HE HAD ALLERGIES, TO WHICH HE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS 'GETTING OVER A COLD.' I ASKED WHY HE WOULD COME INTO A COCKPIT WITH WHAT I CONSIDERED TO BE A FULL BLOWN COLD, AND SUBJECT ME AND THE REST OF THE CREW TO HIS ILLNESS. HE SAID THAT HE WAS BEING FURLOUGHED AND IF HE USED SICK LEAVE, HE WOULD LOSE PASS PRIVILEGES. I CONSIDER THIS A POLICY THAT CERTAINLY DOES NOT PROMOTE SAFETY, AND ARGUABLY DOES THE OPPOSITE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.