B757-B767 first officer feels air carrier sick leave policy coerces pilots to fly while ill.

Attributes
ACN	672648
Time
Date	200510
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	672648
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Several airlines; in an attempt to further control costs; have virtually eliminated or proposed virtually eliminating sick leave. At my airline; pilots currently have approximately 250 flight hours of sick leave per yr; or approximately 3 months of sick leave. Management has demanded that we receive a maximum of 20 flight hours per yr of sick leave at full pay; and then a short period of time at 60% pay. One event of illness in a career would provide 60 hours at flight pay. One good head cold would use up more than 100% of permitted full pay sick hours! We have already had a 32.5% pay cut and are about to receive an additional 19.5% pay cut. I am very concerned that most; if not all; pilots will feel physically pressured to fly when ill.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-B767 FO FEELS ACR SICK LEAVE POLICY COERCES PLTS TO FLY WHILE ILL.

Narrative: SEVERAL AIRLINES; IN AN ATTEMPT TO FURTHER CTL COSTS; HAVE VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED OR PROPOSED VIRTUALLY ELIMINATING SICK LEAVE. AT MY AIRLINE; PLTS CURRENTLY HAVE APPROX 250 FLT HRS OF SICK LEAVE PER YR; OR APPROX 3 MONTHS OF SICK LEAVE. MGMNT HAS DEMANDED THAT WE RECEIVE A MAX OF 20 FLT HRS PER YR OF SICK LEAVE AT FULL PAY; AND THEN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AT 60% PAY. ONE EVENT OF ILLNESS IN A CAREER WOULD PROVIDE 60 HRS AT FLT PAY. ONE GOOD HEAD COLD WOULD USE UP MORE THAN 100% OF PERMITTED FULL PAY SICK HRS! WE HAVE ALREADY HAD A 32.5% PAY CUT AND ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 19.5% PAY CUT. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MOST; IF NOT ALL; PLTS WILL FEEL PHYSICALLY PRESSURED TO FLY WHEN ILL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.