Involuntary Furlough Q&A
Date: January 15, 2014
Source: AFA Article
- If placed on involuntary furlough status, will I receive furlough pay?
Yes, your Contractual furlough pay will be determined by your Company seniority and shall be computed on the basis of your Flight Attendant pay in accordance with Section 21.H.2. - How is a Flight Attendant who is placed on involuntary furlough paid for a month-end overlap?
Flight Attendants on Involuntary Furlough may not fly as of the effective date of the involuntary furlough, April 1, 2014. The Flight Attendant will be removed from the ID, pay protected for the value of the ID preceding the date of the involuntary furlough and will be subject to reassignment on the pay protected days. - What happens to my vacation?
You will be paid for all unused 2014 vacation and all accrued 2015 vacation in a check or direct deposit that will be generated 45-60 days after the effective date of the involuntary furlough, April 1, 2014, unless state law dictates otherwise.
All vacation paid out will be paid at the rate of 3.00 hours per day up until February 28, 2014. Effective February 28, 2014 vacation will be paid based on the information contained in your VACINC screen in Unimatic:- If, in the prior vacation accrual year (September 1, 2012 through August 31, 2013) you were paid less than nine hundred thirty-six (936) hours of flight time credit, your vacation pay rate shall be three hours (3:00) per vacation day prorated for any partial day.
- If, in the prior vacation accrual year (September 1, 2012 through August 31, 2013) you were paid at least nine hundred thirty-six (936) hours of flight time credit, your vacation pay rate shall be three hours and fifteen minutes (3:15) per vacation day prorated for any partial day.
Vacation days will not accrue while on involuntary furlough status. - How will I receive my final paycheck?
Final paychecks will be distributed by mail or direct deposit on the normal payroll cycles for all Flight Attendants who are being placed on involuntary furlough, unless state law dictates otherwise.
Any direct deposits returned to United Airlines will be replaced with a live USD check. U.S. domiciled Flight Attendants who are place on involuntary furlough status will receive their paychecks according to normal paycheck distribution procedures. International-based flight attendants should contact their domicile to determine how pay documents will be distributed. - Are Flight Attendants placed on involuntary furlough in accordance with their Company seniority or Flight Attendant (SW) classification seniority?
Flight Attendants are placed on involuntary furlough based on Flight Attendant Classification (SW) seniority in inverse system seniority. - What will happen to my (SW) classification seniority if I am placed on involuntary furlough?
You will retain but not accrue classification seniority during the period of involuntary furlough. Your SW seniority will be adjusted following recall from involuntary furlough. - What benefits will I receive if I am placed on Involuntary furlough status?
On the effective date of your furlough, you and your eligible dependents may elect to continue your current coverage in the medical and/or dental plan(s) under COBRA for up to 18 months. You will receive detailed information from the United Airlines Benefit Center, within 45 days of your furlough date regarding your rights under COBRA. You must complete the COBRA enrollment to receive the three months of company subsidized coverage.
For the first three months of COBRA coverage United will continue to pay the employer contribution portion of the medical and dental plan(s). You are required to pay the employee portion. The United Airlines Benefit Center will bill you for the employee portion. At the end of the three-month period, to continue your coverage for the remaining 15 months, you will be required to pay the full cost of the coverage plus a 2% administrative fee.
If you have any questions regarding your current medical and/or dental benefits or your eligibility under COBRA, please call the United Airlines Benefit Center at 800-651-1007.
You can continue vision coverage for 18 months through the COBRA continuation provisions. You will be required to pay the full cost of coverage, plus a 2% administrative fee (no company subsidy is available).
If you participate in the Group Universal Life (GUL) insurance plan, you may continue your coverage while you are involuntarily furloughed by paying the premiums directly to Minnesota Life.
In January 2014, United changed administrators from MetLife to Minnesota Life. Minnesota Life will send you information on conversion options for your company-paid coverage or an options letter to continue your GUL insurance.
The amount of life insurance you may convert to an individual policy is equal to the amount of your current company-paid employee coverage. You may also convert the amount of dependent life insurance currently in effect for your dependents.
You may contact Minnesota Life at 1-866-887-1043 for additional information.
You must decide within 31 days of the effective date of your involuntary furlough if you would like to continue your coverage. If you do not receive your information within 21 days of your involuntary furlough date, contact Minnesota Life at the phone number above.
You are eligible to convert your Personal Accident Insurance (PAI). In 2013 United changed the insurance vendor from MetLife to AIG Benefits Solutions for Personal Accident Insurance. The new policy allows co-workers to convert their group policy to an individual policy.
Please contact the United Airlines Benefits Center at 1-800-651-1007 to convert to an individual policy.
You will also retain pleasure travel privileges for United & United Express for six months from the effective date of the involuntary furlough. - If a Flight Attendant encounters a "life event" (marriage, birth, domestic partner or enrolled friend) within six (6) months from the date of involuntary furlough, is the spouse/domestic partner/child entitled to pass privileges?
Yes, as long as you follow proper procedures for updating your Family Information on file with the company. - Will I be entitled to sick leave pay?
If you are on sick leave status as of April 1, 2014, you will be converted to involuntary furlough status. Sick leave pay will cease effective the date of involuntary furlough. If you become ill while on involuntary furlough status, you are not entitled to sick leave pay. - If I am on a Leave of Absence, can I be involuntarily furloughed?
Yes, this includes the following leaves:- Personal Leave
- Military Leave
- Parental Leave
- Special Leave
- Educational Leave
- Union Leave
- Medical Leave (Occupational, Non-Occupational and Maternity)
- If I am placed on involuntary furlough status, will I be entitled to unemployment compensation?
You may be eligible for unemployment compensation. However, in some states you may not be eligible until furlough pay has been exhausted. It is best to contact the unemployment office in the state in which you reside and file an unemployment claim. In addition, you may be able to file an electronic claim online. Check your state website for additional information. - What must I do to ensure my recall rights are protected?
Your recall rights are provided for under the terms of our Contract. You must keep a current address on file with the company. A Flight Attendant on furlough status must update her/his address with the company as soon as possible. You are responsible for maintaining permanent address and telephone information. You need to update your information by using the Inactive Address Change Form at the end of this packet. To obtain another copy of this form you will need to contact the Employee Service Center – HR Operations at 877-825-3729. This form must be mailed back to United. Instructions are included on the form. You must update your records when you are away from your permanent address for more than 30 days. - Will a permanent bid for transfer to another domicile remain on file during the time of involuntary furlough?
No. Flight Attendants on involuntary furlough must re-submit a transfer bid upon recall. - If a Flight Attendant is recalled to a different domicile from which furloughed, can she/he remain on involuntary furlough to wait for an opening at the original domicile?
No. - Will recall to the domicile from which involuntary furloughed take precedence over system-wide bids on file to that domicile?
Yes. At the time of recall, Flight Attendants on involuntary furlough status return to the domicile from which they were furloughed will take precedence over bids on file to transfer to that domicile. - When do my recall rights expire?
All recall rights expire six (6) years from the effective date of involuntary furlough or sooner if recall is offered and declined at an earlier point in time. - Who is recalled to service first if United needs additional Flight Attendants?
First, Flight Attendants on involuntary furlough are recalled to service in seniority order. Then, Flight Attendants on Voluntary Furlough status are recalled to service in inverse seniority order. - If I am a Flight Attendant who transferred from another department that was unionized, can I return to that position?
If you transferred from another department that was unionized, your return to that position is governed by the provisions of that department's Collective Bargaining Agreement. - If I am language or purser qualified can I still be placed on involuntary furlough status?
Yes. - Will Flight Attendant placed on involuntary furlough status be provided COMAT authority for personal belongings?
Yes, 750 pounds between domestic locations and 1000 pounds between International and U.S. locations is allowed. - If I am placed on involuntary furlough, what do I do with my uniform?
Basic items are retained by the Flight Attendant on involuntary furlough status. You are responsible for returning to service with all required items. If items become obsolete during the furlough period, the company will furnish new items. Unused and accrued uniform points will be available for use upon your return to active status up to the maximum allowable. No uniform points are accrued while on furlough. - How do I access 1-800-DearAFA?
Your status will remain active with the Union. You will access DearAFA by entering your file number just as you do today. - Will I still have access to the AFA United MEC website (www.unitedafa.org)?
Yes. - Can I still receive AFA E-lines?
Yes. - Do I have a Union dues obligation from the April 1, 2014 furlough date until I am recalled?
There is a dues obligation while you are receiving furlough pay in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. - While on involuntary furlough status, will I retain my access to Unimatic and company website?
While on involuntary furlough status, you will have access to Flying Together, but will not have access to other United computer systems (Unimatic, SHARES).
Printed from the official United Master Executive Council website at www.unitedafa.org.