5.28.20 – Paid Voluntary Leave of Absence (PVLOA) for July 2020 / Management and Support Staff Reductions

Thursday, May 28, 2020

• Paid Voluntary Leave of Absence (PVLOA) for July 2020
• Management and Support Staff Reductions

Paid Voluntary Leave of Absence (PVLOA) for July 2020

Effective today, American has re-opened the PVLOA ballot for Flight Attendants, beginning in July. The PVLOA bidding window will close on Monday, June 1st, at Noon (CDT). The new PVLOA offering will be for 1-month (July 2nd – July 31st) and 3-months (July 2nd -September 30th), and within the ballot, you will have the choice of a 19-hour paid leave, or an unpaid leave.

PVLOA extensions will not be offered at this time, but we will continue to push for extensions for those currently on a leave.

The ballot to apply for a PVLOA, along with frequently asked questions may be found here. American has also put together an Employee Information Package to help Flight Attendants access information during a PVLOA.

In addition, the Company is planning to offer a 70-hour voluntary leave of absence (VLOA) after the PVLOAs are awarded. The Company is expecting to award about half as many VLOAs as they did in June, due to an increase in flying in July.

Management and Support Staff Reductions

The last few months have been incredibly difficult as we struggle to navigate the unknowns associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. Flight Attendants have had to make hasty, life-changing decisions on whether or not to participate in early retirements or personal leaves. We have continued to do our part to maintain a smooth operation while dealing with fuller flights each day. We protect ourselves onboard to the extent possible and continue to advocate for science-based, federally mandated safety procedures for proper aircraft cleaning, personal protective equipment, and contact tracing.

Due to the steep drop in demand over a short period, American has announced further job cuts with a reduction of Management and support staff by 30%. American will offer these employees Voluntary Early-Out Packages (VEOPs). Involuntary separations will occur if not enough employees elect to take the VEOP. Our thoughts are with our co-workers as they contemplate their futures and struggle to make the best decision for themselves and their families.