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United Airlines has introduced new requirements for flight attendants calling in sick on weekends, mandating documentation from a doctor to substantiate the absence. The airline cited a 23% increase in sick calls over weekends this summer as the reason for the policy change.
The union representing United Airlines flight attendants plans to file a grievance, arguing that such measures are only permissible during the July 4th and Christmas holidays according to their contract, not for all weekends indefinitely.
Concerns have been raised that this policy may deter flight attendants from taking necessary sick leave or force them to work while ill due to the difficulty and expense of obtaining urgent medical documentation. The required documentation includes detailed personal health information, such as a "treatment plan" and "progress of treatment," which is unusual for employers to request for routine sick leave.
