4.26.16 – (LAA) – Interim Pay Protections Become Effective May 2nd

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

 

Interim Pay Protections Become Effective May 2nd – LAA

We are several months away from integrating the system to support the pay protection policies outlined in the JCBA. Recognizing how important it is for you to be able to protect your pay for all of your scheduled trips as soon as possible, we’ve reached an interim agreement for Legacy American Flight Attendants to expand pay protection to all scheduled hours beyond the monthly guarantee. This new, interim protection applies to all flying beginning with the May 2016 contractual month and remains in effect until the JCBA pay protection provisions are implemented (anticipated later this year). 

We’ve updated the LAA On Duty Contract Guide (replacing the procedures outlined on pages 16-17) and included some common scenarios to illustrate how the interim pay protection policy will apply:

What is Interim Sequence Pay Protection? 
The interim policy provides pay protection for all Lineholder trips and Reserve trips (OR, CR, L2) originating on Duty-Free Periods.

How does Interim Sequence Pay Protection work?
Pay protection is based on individual sequences and whether you elect to follow Misconnection/Illegality/Cancellation (MIC) procedures.

How is protection calculated if I am removed from a trip due to a Direct Conflict (DC) between two trips?
Protected hours will be based on the combined value of the original two trips.

Example:
You have two 10:00 hour trips back to back (20:00 hours total) and due to weather, the first trip is rescheduled into a 3-day trip worth 15:00.  If you fulfill your MIC obligation for 4th day but do no additional flying, you’ll be paid 15:00 hours actual plus the 5:00 hours difference from 20:00 for a total value of both original trips.

How is protection calculated if I am illegal to originate my next trip due to an illegality from the previous trip?
Protected hours will be based on value of trip removed due to the illegality.

Example: 
You arrive late from a trip causing a legal break issue for your 3-day trip worth 15:00. If you fulfill your MIC obligation, you’ll be paid the greater of 15:00 or actual hours flown during obligation period (DOSTF).

If I am a Lineholder, how will I know if I was pay protected?
If you followed MIC procedures, protected hours will be added directly to your HI1 no later than close of business three business days (Mon-Fri) following the completion of the protected sequence(s). Your total hours will be reflected in your Pay Projection (PPROJ), as well as displayed on your HI1 on the termination date of the protected sequence. The codes on your HI1 will include:

• PD PROJ – Pay & Credit for lost hours for Lineholders (non-OE trips)
• OE STRAT – Pay only for lost hours for Lineholders on OE trips

NOTE:  If you are not protected, you will see NO PROT indicated on your HI1.

If I am a Reserve flying on a duty-free period, how will I know if I was pay protected?
If you followed reserve pay protection procedures, protected hours will be added directly to your HI1 no later than the close of business three business days following the completion of the protected sequence(s). You will see GUARPREM displayed on your HI1 on the termination date of the protected sequence.  

• GUARPREM – Pay above guarantee for Reserves flying OR, CR, and L2 trips
• The hours will not be reflected in the FLYDFP column
• You will see the GUARPREM as a line item on your end of the month paycheck

NOTE:  If you are not protected, you will see NO PROT indicated on your HI1.

What happens to Bid Line Guarantee?

• Bid Line Guarantee will still be visible on your monthly schedule and your end of month pay will be the greater of your Bid Line Guarantee or PPROJ
• Bid Line Guarantee will still apply to flight attendants with AVBL days, however trips which exceed guarantee will now be protected as well

When will Interim Sequence Pay Protection be implemented?
Interim Sequence Pay Protection will be implemented for the contractual month of May 2016

Why not implement JCBA pay protection now? 
Programming is still ongoing for the JCBA pay protection and expanding the current protections requires minimal changes to the existing procedures for both Crew Schedule and flight attendants.

Why wasn’t this interim pay protection implemented before now?
This was the first point in time for which we were able to leverage some of the new tools that were recently developed for other purposes. We are pleased to offer this interim solution while we wait for the permanent JCBA pay protections.

How did we determine what to include with Interim Sequence Pay Protection?
There were three main components/questions for consideration:

1. What can be implemented using some of the new tools that will provide improved protections for FAs?
2. What can be implemented without requiring major programming and procedural changes for both the FAs and the operation?
3. What can be implemented in a short period of time without impeding upon the resources needed to work on the final JCBA pay protection solution?

What is the difference between the interim and permanent JCBA pay protection?
Interim Sequence Pay Protection uses current LAA CBA MIC rules/obligation and will provide protection for “high-time flyers” and reserve trips originating on DFPs. The methodology for determining sequence pay protection is completely different.
 
Details regarding the JCBA sequence pay protections, along with the new rescheduling provisions, will be provided closer to the effective date of these new provisions.

What is protected with Interim Sequence Pay Protection for Lineholders who elect to follow MIC procedures?

• Interim protection will protect Lineholders for all trips on their scheduleA trip that currently qualifies for Last 5 Days Protection under current CBA rules will continue to have the same obligation as today
  • Protected for all cancellations and/or illegalities for originating trips
  • Includes mid-sequence loss of time for all MIC removals
  • Includes equipment substitution

What is my obligation if I am a lineholder and have triggered HVBL days?

• You may plot a trip(s) on your HVBL days (plotted value of trip(s) will be compared to original trip loss and you will be protected for the difference)
• If you do not plot on your HVBL days, you will need to follow MIC procedures to be eligible for pay protection and you are obligated to the value of time lost plus 1 hour 

NOTE: HVBL days can no longer be moved because they are now part of the Days Originally Scheduled to Fly (DOSTF) obligation period.

What is protected with Interim Sequence Pay Protection for AVBL FAs who elect to follow MIC procedures?

• Interim protection will protect AVBL FAs for all trips on their scheduleA trip that currently qualifies for Last 5 Days Protection under current CBA rules will continue to have the same obligation as today
  • Protected for all cancellations and/or illegalities for originating trips (see chart below)
  • Includes mid-sequence loss of time for all MIC removals
  • Includes equipment substitution

NOTE: Incremental guarantee reductions will still only apply to AVBL FAs with a full line of AVBL days

What is protected with Interim Sequence Pay Protection for Reserves who elect to follow pay protection procedures?  

• Protected for all cancellations and/or illegalities for trips originating on Duty-Free Periods (OR, CR, L2)
  • Includes mid-sequence loss of time for all MIC removals
  • Includes equipment substitution

What is not included with Interim Sequence Pay Protection?

• Same as today, carryover, international override or other premiums are not included
• Same as today, pay protection for trips originating on reserve days (RF and SB flying) is not included
• All schedule conflict trip removals, including FA- initiated conflict after bid awards

What happens if I pick up a trip from another flight attendant during the Days Originally Scheduled to Fly (DOSTF) of a pay protected trip?
If you pick up OE, TT or OR flying during your obligation period on DOSTF you will forfeit pay protection for the original sequence

Does Interim Sequence Pay Protection change the current Last 5 Days Protection?
No, last 5 day pay protection will work the same as today. All other trips on your schedule will be protected with Interim Sequence Pay Protection.

 Interim Sequence Pay Protection Examples

 Updates to the On-Duty Contract Guide

 MIC Quick Facts

Effective May 2, 2016 and only until full JCBA pay protection is implemented