A flight crew encouraged the flight attendant of a 50 seat aircraft to call in sick because of her r...

Attributes
ACN	806411
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	806411
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	806207
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

While having lunch at the crew hotel in ZZZ with the crew prior to flight; the flight attendant mentioned that she was not feeling well. After a bit of rest she was still feeling ill but she expressed extreme concern over the company's sick call policy for the flight attendants and was afraid to call in sick for fear for being fired. After the first officer and I discussed the situation with her and we expressed our concern for her well being; a sick call was made. Crew scheduling re-crewed the flight attendant position and the flight was completed. I don't know the specifics of the flight attendant sick policies; but I do have safety of flight concerns about this. If the flight attendants are afraid to call in sick for fear of discipline for losing their jobs this not only puts the safety and well being of the passenger and the rest of the crew at risk; but also that of the flight attendants. This is particularly true in the 50 seat aircraft which has no back up as it only has 1 flight attendant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT CREW ENCOURAGED THE FA OF A 50 SEAT ACFT TO CALL IN SICK BECAUSE OF HER RELUCTANCE TO CALL IN SICK OUT OF FEAR OF AN ACR'S SICK CALL REPRISAL.

Narrative: WHILE HAVING LUNCH AT THE CREW HOTEL IN ZZZ WITH THE CREW PRIOR TO FLT; THE FLT ATTENDANT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS NOT FEELING WELL. AFTER A BIT OF REST SHE WAS STILL FEELING ILL BUT SHE EXPRESSED EXTREME CONCERN OVER THE COMPANY'S SICK CALL POLICY FOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND WAS AFRAID TO CALL IN SICK FOR FEAR FOR BEING FIRED. AFTER THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE SITUATION WITH HER AND WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN FOR HER WELL BEING; A SICK CALL WAS MADE. CREW SCHEDULING RE-CREWED THE FLT ATTENDANT POS AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETED. I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE FLT ATTENDANT SICK POLICIES; BUT I DO HAVE SAFETY OF FLT CONCERNS ABOUT THIS. IF THE FLT ATTENDANTS ARE AFRAID TO CALL IN SICK FOR FEAR OF DISCIPLINE FOR LOSING THEIR JOBS THIS NOT ONLY PUTS THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF THE PAX AND THE REST OF THE CREW AT RISK; BUT ALSO THAT OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IN THE 50 SEAT ACFT WHICH HAS NO BACK UP AS IT ONLY HAS 1 FLT ATTENDANT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

A flight crew encouraged the flight attendant of a 50 seat aircraft to call in sick because of her reluctance to call in sick out of fear of an air carrier's sick call reprisal.