Answers to your most asked questions on the VXLOA

Extended Voluntary Leave Of Absence (VXLOA)

Q1. Why are these Extended Voluntary Leaves Of Absence (VXLOA’s) being offered?
A. These leaves are being offered in an effort to reduce the current overages at base throughout the system.

Q2. I’m currently inactive, can I put in for the VXLOA If I return to active status?
A. No. In order to qualify for the VXLOA, you had to be on Active Status as of 3/16/2020.“Active status" as defined for the purpose of this agreement is a Flight Attendant on payroll receiving pay from the Company, including Flight Attendants on paid sick or salary continuance, and those on VOLOs or VLOAs.

Q3. Are these VXLOAs the same as a “Leave in Lieu if Furlough” found in Section 23-Reduction in Force?
A. No. The VXLOAs being offered are a result of a Letter of Agreement between the APFA and the Company that was made on a one-time non-precedent setting basis. In a “Leave in Lieu of Furlough” under the JCBA, insurance benefits such as medical, dental and vision, are provided “in accordance with company policy”. This means you would be responsible for the full cost of your insurance premiums. The VXLOA being offered here however, provides coverage at the same rates you would pay if active, for the duration of the VXLOA.

Q4. Are these leaves being offered by system seniority? If not, why not?
A. No. The VXLOA’s are being offered in seniority order within individual bases. The purpose of these leaves is to reduce the current overages which vary from base to base.

Q5. What will be the next step if they do not obtain enough volunteers for these VXLOAs?
A. If they do not obtain enough volunteers for the VXLOA, the Company could determine a reduction in force is necessary and would then have to follow the JCBA language contained in Section 23 - Reduction in Force.

Q6. Am I eligible to take a VXLOA if currently on an unpaid Leave of absence (unpaid injury on duty, unpaid medical, personal, educational, VLOA, VOLO)?
A. Flight attendants who are on an unpaid Leave of Absence are not eligible for the VXLOA, except for those FA’s who are currently on a VLOA or VOLO.

Q7. Will I be allowed to transfer during the VXLOA?
A. No. Transfers will not be awarded to any Flight Attendants who are on any one of the VXLOA’s.

Q8. Can I rescind the VXLOA once awarded?
A. No. Flights Attendants cannot rescind the VXLOA once awarded.

Q9. Can the company cancel or shorten the VXLOA once awarded?
A. Yes. The Company may cancel or shorten the VXLOA with 60 days’ notice to both the Flight Attendant and APFA. If the Company needs to cancel or shorten VXLOA’s at a particular base, they will make their offer in seniority order within the base affected. If there are not enough volunteers, the Company will then draft in inverse seniority order.

Q10. If I experience a life event while on a VXLOA, will I be able to end the VXLOA early?
A. No. Once the VXLOA has been awarded, it may not be rescinded. In the event of an extraordinary, unforeseen event, please contact your FSM.

Q11. What if there is a new base opening while I am on a VXLOA?
A. Should a new base open while on VXLOA, you will be able to proffer for the new base and return early from the VXLOA.

Q12. What is my base closes while on VXLOA?
A. Section 22.I. of the JCBA covers base closures. You will be allowed to bid for your new base, where there are vacancies in a base. You will return to that new base.

Q13. Will I be able to file for unemployment benefits?
A. Depending on your state, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits - the ultimate decision, however, rests with each state. The Company has stated they will not contest unemployment claims while on VXLOA; however, they are required to respond to any requests for information from state agencies.

Q14. If there is ever an “early out” option offered down the road, will I be eligible to participate?
A. Yes. Those on a VXLOA would be eligible to proffer for an early out, should one be offered at a later date.

Q15. If they need additional leaves at the conclusion of these VXLOAs, will I be able to apply again for a subsequent leave?
A. Yes. The company may offer additional VXLOA leaves for up to one year from the effective date of the Agreement under the same terms. You will proffer again based upon your seniority.

Q16. What does “active rates” mean with regard to the medical, dental, vision, AD&D and life insurance?
A. This means you will pay the same portion you normally pay from your paycheck, however, you will be direct-billed for these payments. A Flight Attendant’s failure to make timely premium payments may result in loss of coverage, in accordance with the Company’s regular premium payment collection process.

Q17. Will I continue to accrue seniority while on a VXLOA?
A. Yes. Flight Attendants on a VXLOA shall accrue Occupational Seniority and Longevity Seniority for the purpose of pay and vacation purposes (up to the expiration of the VXLOA). However, a Flight Attendant on a VXLOA will not accrue sick or vacation days while on the leave.

Q18. Will I continue to accrue SK/VC while on a VXLOA?
A. No. A Flight Attendant on a VXLOA will not accrue sick or vacation days.

Q19. If I choose to have my vacation paid out, it says it will be paid out based on the total number of vacation days paid. If I have one 7 day vacation and one 5 day vacation, will all 12 of these days be paid at 4:00 per day?
A. Yes. You will be paid based on the total number of vacation days paid out. In the example given, all 12 days would be paid at the rate of 4:00 per day. If the total number of vacation days is under 7 days, they will be paid out at the rate of 3:30 per day.

Q20. Do I have to attend CQ in my base month?
A. If your base month falls inside your VXLOA, you have the option of attending your class in your base month or in your grace month. If you do not attend CQ in your base month, you will be required to attend CQ in your grace month.

Q21. At the end of the VXLOA, will I return to the same base where I was based at the beginning of the leave?
A. Yes. The Flight Attendant will return to their base of record at the expiration of their VXLOA.

Q22. How will I indicate my choice to defer VC or have it paid out?
A. Flight Attendants who hold the proffer will indicate their choice of VC payout or deferral by checking the appropriate box on their leave acceptance form.

Q23. What if we have an auto payment to the Credit Union?
A. Contact the credit union, and you can select a new payment source for your loans, such as another credit union, bank, or savings account.

Q24. If you initially go on your spouse’s medical and s/he loses their job later during the leave, can you transition back into your AA Medical benefits?
A. Your spouse losing their medical coverage is a life event. You can process a life event on Jetnet at Team Member Services > Life Event > View all Life Events. Remember, you only have 30 days to process a life event, or you must wait till open enrollment in the Fall.

Q25. Is unemployment based on the state where you are based or the state of residence?
A. Unemployment is based on the state where you are based. You may be able to file an “out of state” claim in your home state, but the rules and amounts are based on the state where you are based.

Q26. If you take VXLOA do you have to continue with your current benefits elections or can you discontinue or add some?
A. Your leave is a life event, and you have a special enrollment period to change/ reduce your benefits.

Q27. How would a loan from your 401k be handled?
A. If you take an unpaid leave of absence, you will be excused from making regular 401k loan repayments for up to a total of 12 months of leave during the term of your loan. Interest will continue to accrue on the loan during any periods that your regular loan repayments are excused. If the duration of your unpaid leave(s) of absence is no longer than 12 months, your loan will be re-amortized when you return to active paid status over the original term of the loan. Payroll deductions will resume when you return to active employment. Your loan repayment amount may change due to missed or excused loan repayments and any interest accrued during the leave of absence. Special rules apply if your leave is longer than 12 months, you are on a military leave, or your loan was scheduled to end before the end of your leave. Contact Fidelity for more information.

Q28. How many VXLOAs does the company need?
A. Right now, the schedule for the Summer flying season is still being reassembled. The total number of overage leaves by base cannot be finalized, until the new schedule is finalized, and the total number of VLOAs and other leaves is determined.

Q29. Will they rebalance flying if one base has too many that want it and another does not have enough?
A. To the extent that rebalancing can be reasonably and efficiently accomplished. For VXLOAs the overage will be determined by base, not on a systemwide basis.

Q30. Does taking the VXVLOA exempt you from a furlough if there was to be one?
A. No, FA would still be subject to furlough if a furlough was to reach their seniority.

Q31. Can I do month-to-month leaves, as I cannot afford a 6 month leave?
A. At this time, the company is offering the VXLOA in 12, 9 or 6 month blocks. They will offer the 12 month leaves first, and if there are not are not enough FA’s who want the 12 month leaves, they will then offer the 9 month leaves, then the 6 month leaves. The Company “may” continue to offer VLOA’s on a month-to-month basis, if needed.

Q32. Why are 3 month leaves not being offered?
A. We did ask for a 3 month leave option, however the Company was looking for a longer duration and was not willing to offer a 3 month option.

Q33. Do we know how many FA’s they are looking for to take these VXLOAs?
A. The Company has not provided any numbers to the APFA regarding how many VXLOAs will be offered. They did anticipate everyone who applies for one is likely to be awarded one.

Q34. If I take the VXLOA, what happens in the event of a furlough? Would I be furloughed, and would I be eligible for furlough pay?
A. If there is a reduction in force which results in involuntary furloughs, they are done in inverse seniority order from the APFA system seniority list. If the involuntary furloughs reach your seniority, you will be removed from your leave and be furloughed. and you would be eligible for any furlough pay commensurate with your length of service as provided for in Section 23 of the JCBA.

Q35. If I take the VXLOA and want to defer the vacation scheduled inside of my VXLOA, when will I bid for this deferred vacation?
A. Any vacation that falls inside of the VXLOA which you choose to defer will be bid in the secondary round of next years vacation bidding. Note: the first 4 months of 2020 (Jan-Apr) will still be bid in the primary vacation bid, as those months were accrued prior to the start of the VXLOA.

Q36. Will I keep my crew ID if I take the VXLOA?
A. Yes. You will keep your crew ID while on VXLOA.

Q37. Will I retain jump seat privileges while on the VXLOA?
A. Yes. Your travel privileges are the same as an active employee, in accordance with Company policy including retention of jump seat privileges.

Q38. How will I be billed for my medical insurance if I take the VXLOA?
A. You will need to set up a direct-bill for your insurance premiums and ensure they are paid in a timely fashion to ensure coverage. Instructions will be included on the bid award announcement page of Jetnet.

Q39. Can the 60-day call back be shortened by the Company?
A. No. The 60-day call back is the minimum time the Company would have to notice the FA and the APFA in the event they needed to shorten or cancel the VXLOA.

Q40. If I take the 12 month VXLOA, will I accrue sick time and vacation days during the leave?
A. No. You will not accrue sick or vacation days while on the VXLOA. You will accrue VC seniority for future VC allocations.

Q41. If I take a VLOA or the VXLOA, and it is longer than 31 days, will I have to pay the full cost of my insurance premiums?
A. No. Both the month long VLOAs and the extended VXLOAs have company subsidized insurance premiums while on the leaves. This means you will only be responsible for paying your portion of the insurance premium (same as what is deducted from your paycheck).

Q42. If I am receiving maternity disability benefits, am I eligible to put in for the VXLOA?
A. You must be on “active status” in order to be eligible for the VXLOA. “Active status" as defined for the purpose of this agreement is a Flight Attendant on payroll receiving pay from the Company, including Flight Attendants on paid sick or salary continuance, and those on VOLOs or VLOAs.

Q43. Will taking the VXLOA affect my maternity disability benefits?
A. No. The maternity disability paid by MetLife is up to 10 weeks paid from the date of delivery, and would not be lost by taking a VXLOA.

Q44. Why didn’t the union negotiate a monetary payout with the VEOP?
A. The terms of the Voluntary Early Out Program (VEOP) were not negotiated, or agreed to, by the union. This VEOP is a company-wide policy. APFA has consistently pushed for a monetary consideration for flight attendants who wish to separate from the Company. The Company was not interested in attaching any money to their VEOP offer.

Q45. How do I strategically bid for the VXLOA if I really want a 6 month leave, but am willing to take a 12 month if I cannot hold the 6 month leave?
A. The company has said they anticipate being able to award them to everyone who ballots for a leave. If you must have a leave, the best bet is the 12 month leave. If you are willing to take a little risk of not getting it, bid your 6-month bid first.

Q46. How many VXLOA’s will the Company be awarding?
A. The Company has not given a firm number, but did say they anticipate being able to award them to everyone who ballots for one.

Q47. If they do not get enough volunteers to take these VXLOA’s, will they immediately furlough Flight Attendants?
A. Before the Company can involuntarily furlough a single Flight Attendant, they must first offer Voluntary Furloughs in accordance with Section 23 – Reduction in Force. They must also send out WARN letters to all those subject to furlough as required by Federal Law. Generally speaking, the WARN letters must be sent out at least 60 days prior to any furlough.

Q48. On the VXLOA is the healthcare our current healthcare at subsidized rates or it is subsidized COBRA?
A. It is the current plan at active/subsidized rates.

Q49. What are the maximum number of months we are eligible to be covered under COBRA?
A. For the early out it will be 24 months unless you are disabled and qualify for an extension per the COBRA regulations.

Q50. What are the maximum number of months we are eligible to be covered under COBRA?
A. For the early out it will be 24 months unless you are disabled and qualify for an extension per the COBRA regulations.

Q51. What happens to our FSA deductions while on a VXLOA?
A. If they continue to make payments via direct bill they will continue to have access to the FSA.

Q52. Do I have to pay my union dues while on a VXLOA, VLOA our VOLO?
A. Yes. You are dues obligated while on any one of the above leaves.

Q53. Does taking a VLOA, VOLO or VXLOA have any effect on the monetary amount of a future unemployment benefit, or furlough pay?
A. It could. Any time away from work (unpaid) has the potential to lower your total income, which is used to calculate unemployment benefits, as well as furlough (severance) pay. It would depend on when the unpaid time occurred, and the time period used for calculating the respective benefit.

Q54. Will taking A VLOA, VOLO or VXLOA affect my ability to use FMLA in the future?
A. It could. In addition to meeting the medical criteria  for FMLA, you have to be administratively eligible. Generally speaking, this means you’ve been employed for at least 12 months and have been paid no less than 504 hours (not including sick or vacation time) in the preceding 12 months. This is true of any type of unpaid leave, however.

Q55. Does taking a VLOA, VOLO or VXLOA have any affect on the monetary amount of a future unemployment benefit, or furlough pay?
A. It could. Any time away from work (unpaid) has the potential to lower your total income, which is used to calculate unemployment benefits, as well as furlough (severance) pay.  It would depend on when the unpaid time occurred and the time period used for calculating the respective benefit.

UNEMPLOYMENT
Q56 While on a voluntary unpaid leave, can you collect unemployment?
A. Maybe. Each state has its own rules to define who is eligible for unemployment. Some states may pay unemployment to people on the VXLOP, and some states may not. What we do know is that AA will not contest claims for unemployment. But, they will respond truthfully to any inquiries from state unemployment offices. EG: yes, they are on a voluntary leave.

Q57. All of the answers to qualifying for unemployment are vague. Why is it so hard to get a yes or no answer?
A. In addition to each state setting its own rules, the Department of Labor recently issued new guidance to state unemployment agencies:

Under the guidance, federal law permits significant flexibility for states to amend their laws to provide UI benefits in multiple scenarios related to COVID-19. For example, federal law allows states to pay benefits where: (1) An employer temporarily ceases operations due to COVID-19, preventing employees from coming to work; (2) An individual is quarantined with the expectation of returning to work after the quarantine is over; and (3) An individual leaves employment due to a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member. In addition, federal law does not require an employee to quit in order to receive benefits due to the impact of COVID-19.

Because no one knows how the states will respond to this guidance, no one knows for sure if our leaves will qualify for unemployment benefits in your state.

Q58. I have tried calling my state unemployment office, and get no answer. I need a solid answer that I can get unemployment benefits if I take this leave. I cannot afford to take this leave if I do not get unemployment benefits.
A. If you must have unemployment benefits to take this leave, do not apply for the leave. Unemployment benefits are not guaranteed to anyone taking this leave.

Q59. When applying for unemployment benefits, what is the best way for me to describe my leave?
A. There are many ways to describe your leave. Some suggested language includes:
— There is a lack of work at my employer due to the Covid19 shut down.
— I took a leave to help the employer with an immediate overage, hoping to avoid involuntary furloughs in the near future.
— My workplace is at high risk for Covid19 contagion.
— My health conditions/age dictate I should avoid high risk situations.

Q60. I have a transfer approved for May 1st. Where should I file for unemployment benefits?
A. You will be based at your new base as of May 1st. File in your new base state.

Q61. If I take the leave, and I am approved for state unemployment benefits, and then American declares bankruptcy, will my unemployment benefits end?
A. No, unemployment benefits are paid by the state, not by American.

Q62. If I take a leave, and then American files for bankruptcy, will my medical benefits end?
A. It depends. American is required to maintain the benefits until they get approval from the Bankruptcy Judge that they can suspend or eliminate the benefits.

Q63. What information will I need to provide the unemployment agency when I apply for unemployment?
A. You need to provide:
Your income. The agency will check with AA, but you might want to have your W2 for 2019, and your most recent pay-stub available.
— Social Security number
— Home address and mailing address (if different)
— Telephone number
— Email address
— Your bank name, address, account number and routing number for direct deposit
— Employer’s name, address and phone number
— First and last day worked with employer
— Reason for leaving (see question on how to describe your leave).