I just got warned of a "pattern" in my sick leave from taking the last few Fridays off for fatigue leave. How will this affect me, if at all?

[Radarrodent90]

I guess I'll try to do that. I understand everyone is trying to tell me the "rules of the game", but I'm here trying to argue "why is it a game in the first place?"

We have a union that I've been forking over for since I got in like most. Why can't the union just say "listen management, fuck off. It's their leave, that have a right to use it, and you guys are working all these controllers to the bone with 6 days constantly. That's not safe for airplanes or themselves."

We've got a guy that's off for doing illegal drugs. Doesn't even have to come into work, getting paid as far as I know until it's figured out.

Another had something similar alcohol related, comes to work, sits for an hour, management says go home. Still gets paid 8 hours a day while it's figured out.

Both things that are strictly not allowed, but "hey go home since you can't work, here's your pay".

Ive heard others make obscene comments trying to be funny during meetings. Refresher on keeping airplanes apart, controller comments an obscene comment stating they will do the opposite of that. Supe is right there, chuckles along with it. No repercussions.


I've always tried to be very professional. I come to work I do my job, I refresh up on the 7110, do some training the trainees, I go home. But because I take 3 fucking sick days in a row, that's much worse and worthy of a consequence.

I'm just fed up. I take this job very seriously unlike the few mentioned. This is just a slap in the face.

Go DOD. No weekends or overtime usually unless it’s volunteer.

 

[fluentdeer]

Most managers aren’t hunting for abuse, it creates more work for us to write you up. Chances are your fellow CPCs are alerting them to the abuse because they’re the ones that get hurt when you don't work. Just work some of your shifts, call out on some, don't be the asshole that never works an OT.

“Don’t be the asshole that never works OT”

That’s partially how we got into this staffing mess. This Boy Scout bullshit of doing the “right thing.” Folks are burning themselves out to make the terrible staffing the FAA has given us work.

Use your leave how you see fit. Banging in and using leave is basically selling your SL for 4 extra hours of pay to work the OT. Bang in on your OT. Don’t come into work burnt out putting you and the flying public in a position to have an incident.

If you’re tired, you’re tired. If you’re sick, you’re sick. If you’re burnt out, you’re burnt out.

 

[jay_b311]

Don’t resort to fatigue leave as a work around for sick leave “abuse” (not saying your case is abuse). But if your management is claiming its abuse, dont be so bothered that next time you try to make it defensible by saying its “fatigue” leave.

Defend your regular use, or change your habits.

Fatigue leave is different than just saying “i’m taking leave because im tired today”, fatigue is a jointly coined and agreed upon term that has a definition in the book, you should familiarize yourself with it if you’d use it. It’s not something that you can use intermittently, or turn on and turn off on a whim… at least if you do, you’re on a slippery slope in my opinion. If I were to use it I’d be very careful how you word your “symptoms” to your FLM, management, or even your FACREP if they ask. “Fatigue leave” abuse and “sick leave” abuse could be treated very differently if it was pursued, and could possibly bring your medical clearance into question.

 

[Motodog]

Don’t resort to fatigue leave as a work around for sick leave “abuse” (not saying your case is abuse). But if your management is claiming its abuse, dont be so bothered that next time you try to make it defensible by saying its “fatigue” leave.

Defend your regular use, or change your habits.

Fatigue leave is different than just saying “i’m taking leave because im tired today”, fatigue is a jointly coined and agreed upon term that has a definition in the book, you should familiarize yourself with it if you’d use it. It’s not something that you can use intermittently, or turn on and turn off on a whim… at least if you do, you’re on a slippery slope in my opinion. If I were to use it I’d be very careful how you word your “symptoms” to your FLM, management, or even your FACREP if they ask. “Fatigue leave” abuse and “sick leave” abuse could be treated very differently if it was pursued, and could possibly bring your medical clearance into question.

Couple of good points here. Primarily ‘slippery slope’. Fatigued is more of a ‘non-medical/not well defined area. By comparison, at least 1 major airline has a call in fatigued policy. With no pay. So on the line it’s known as call in stupid. So they call in sick, get paid. Call in sick, period. Less slippery

 

[sheetshow]

Did OP get in trouble or not? I'm gonna bang out for just regular reasons that have nothing to do with OT.

 

[Thebullisback]

No