3.13.19 – The Weekly Scoop

 

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

 

March 14th

Tomorrow, March 14th we will be hosting our first telephone Town Hall of the year. The Town Hall will be held from 10:30 – 11:30 am CST. To join the Town Hall call 1-855-840-6970. You may also register online by clicking here.

Your National Officers along with the Negotiating Committee, Scheduling and Contract Chairs, and the Joint Scheduling Implementation Committee (JSIC) will be available to answer questions you may have.

 

End Human Trafficking!

APFA Historian, Jennifer Brissette and Legislative Affairs Representative, Julie Frederick attended the End Human Trafficking ATL Summit 2019 in Atlanta, GA on Monday, March 11th.  Over 600 guests comprised of activists and key stakeholders from a wide range of human trafficking spectrums attended.  The goal was to educate the public about sexual exploitation, trafficking, and forced labor.  APFA also participated in a Safe Skies panel with Airline Ambassadors International President Nancy Rivard as the moderator.

Flight Attendants and airport personnel are the eyes and ears on the planes and in the terminals.  Should you suspect an incident of human trafficking please call the DHS Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423.

– Robin Charbonneau, APFA Communications Chair, [email protected]

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Open Enrollment Ends March 22, 2019Guarantee Issue Offerings is during this enrollment period only.

• APFA Self Enrollment Portal for Aflac® Supplemental Benefits
• Aflac® Appointment Scheduler
• Aflac® FAQs

– Michael Tipton, APFA National Health Chair, [email protected]

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Sleep Tight…Don’t Let the …..

What should you do if you suspect you’ve been bitten by bedbugs?
1.  Seek medical attention
2.  Report suspected hotel(s) with room numbers by completing a hotel/transportation debrief on apfa.org or email at [email protected].
3.  Notify your FSM for replacement luggage if you suspect contamination.
4.  Check shoes and sterilize clothing by washing and drying at high temperature
5.  Do not bring luggage into your home, leave in garage or outside space if possible.

What does the APFA Hotel Department do?
When an APFA National Hotel Committee member conducts a review, mattresses and other parts of rooms are thoroughly inspected.  Contracted hotels must have pest control standards in place with frequent inspections conducted and services provided by a licensed vendor, (most common is Eco-Lab).
Once a report is received, the Hotel Rep on Duty will:

1.  Notify AA Hotel Market Specialist
2.  AA notifies hotel and ensures hotel conducts third-party inspection.  Once report is delivered, APFA receives a copy and will notify Flight Attendant if report is positive.
(Room # where contamination is suspected is CRUCIAL!)
3.  If contamination is confirmed, room (and surrounding rooms) are blocked off and treated.

What can you do to lessen chances of bedbug bites?
1.  Always examine mattress thoroughly, paying close attention to seams.
2.  Place suitcase on luggage stand (if unavailable, place in bathtub)
3.  Hang clothes in closet, never leave on floor.  Place shoes in closet or stow in suitcase.

We hope you never have this experience, but if it does happen to you, please notify us as soon as possible and remember to include room numbers!

– Julia Simpson, APFA National Hotel Chair, [email protected]

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Workers’ Compensation – What if My Benefits and/or Treatment are Denied?

If your Workers’ Compensation claim is denied, Sedgwick is required to notify you of the reason(s) for the denial. If you believe that the claim was wrongfully denied and wish to dispute the decision, you should contact the state workers’ compensation commission for information regarding the proper dispute procedures. You may choose to consult with a Workers’ Compensation attorney or, in some states, you may be advised by the workers’ comp commission to do so.

Arizona  https://www.azica.gov
California https://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/dwc_home_page.htm
Florida https://myfloridacfo.com/Division/wc
Illinois https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/iwcc/Pages/default.aspx
Massachusetts https://www.mass.gov/workers-compensation-for-injured-workers
Missouri https://labor.mo.gov/dwc
New York http://www.wcb.ny.gov/
North Carolina http://www.ic.nc.gov/
Pennsylvania https://www.hrm.oa.pa.gov/workplace-support/workers-comp/Pages/default.aspx
Texas https://www.tdi.texas.gov/wc/index.html
Virginia http://www.vwc.state.va.us/

Here are some examples of problems that may also necessitate a Hearing:

• Authorization for medical treatment – The claims adjuster refuses to pay for your approved medical treatment.
• Authorization for surgery or tests – Your treating doctor requests authorization to perform surgery or tests, such as an MRI, and the insurance company refuses to authorize it.
• Refusal to provide benefits – The treating physician says that you are entitled to benefits, such as vocational rehabilitation services, and the insurance company refuses to provide them.
• Insufficient benefits – The insurance company pays temporary disability at a lower rate than your earnings justify.
• Inadequate medical care – You believe the quality of medical treatment you are receiving is inadequate, and the insurance company refuses to send you to another doctor.

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As of today, there have been 4,973 Flight Attendants who have filed uniform reaction reports.

Please continue to utilize the Uniform Reaction Report Form on the APFA website if you experience a suspected reaction to your uniform.