My son was diagnosed with intermediate asthma back in July and before they made that diagnosis he was getting treatment since February, while they were trying to find the reason for his cough. Our pediatrician just wrote us a letter stating that the high altitude and cold are contributing factors to his asthma attacks. I showed this my FacRep, who also happens to be the region rep for hardships, and he said that it wouldn’t stand because other people have asthma and there is no way to prove that the high altitude and the cold is what is causing the asthma. He said that there needs to be an underlying reason for a hardship. My son has been on a nebulizer two times a day and he struggles to breathe sometimes. Is this something that is not seen as a hardship? I thought the doctors diagnosis, treatment, and recommendation would be enough.
Medical Hardship Question
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Robert_Boucher
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I would think as long as the doctor also recommends relocation to an another area it would be air tight. Unless your facrep moonlights as a doctor he can't tell you what does or doesn't effect your son's breathing.
Stinger
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If it's something you're confident in, tell your facrep to submit it anyway to let the faa decide.
Make sure you have everything included or else you won't be eligible to resubmit again for the same reason.
I am confident about it, however, I didn’t feel much support from the facrep seeing as how he is part of that committee that decides at the regional level
Yeah that’s what I was telling him but he was telling me that it wouldnt stand at the regional level because there was no way to prove high altitude is the problem.
But_I_Had_Visual
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Just out of curiosity, are there a lot of people (like perhaps a FacRep) trying to get out of your current facility?
I’m not exactly sure... I started asking about the hardship process when I found out from the doctor and his recommendation.
Bravo Delta
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If your doctor recommended that a geographic move will maintain or improve his condition it's bonafide.
Maintainvfr
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Yeah I don't really understand what he's talking about when he says you can't prove it. If he has asthma, he has trouble breathing already. It's not like ground breaking information that it's harder to breathe at high altitudes. They aren't saying that the high altitude causes the asthma, but it's obviously not going to help...
T
Ghat
hats what I thought too... maybe because we are a low staffed facility is why they would deny it?
Ghat
i mean that was pretty much that same argument I made and he didn’t give me the confidence that it would be approved.
But_I_Had_Visual
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I get the gist you’re at a low level facility, that’s staffed poorly, and likely has a few people trying to get out. Your hardship, which seems bonafide, means you get to cut the proverbial line. If I were you, I’d be talking to someone in NATCA outside your facility. I wouldn’t let some facility rep who wants to play god (and more than likely just wants out before you) make my child live in asthmatic hell.
Current facility staffing is irrelevant for hardship.
How would I get a hold of other hardship reps?
Robert_Boucher
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I think the "chain" would be facrep, hardship rep, then RVP. Honestly if you think your facrep is trying to railroad you, get a hold of your RVP and try to explain what's going on. It will probably cause tension between you and the facrep but, gotta look out for yourself and your kids first.
Bravo Delta
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So this is covered in article 99 if a facility can't release you due to staffing the hardship stays on file for 15 months and has to be re evaluated every six months. Every six months you have to get a memo stating why management is blocking an otherwise bonifide hardship. I'm sure these are rare.
Not true. This is specifically covered in article 99
boots
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You don't get blocked by low staffing....you get blocked by all facilities being over 100% projected in the area you are trying to go.
Bravo Delta
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I'll get you my hardship rep tomorrow. This is 100 percent. You have to do what's right for your family. Everyone has competing interest.
Facts. This can and has blocked hardships.
Your current facility’s staffing is irrelevant.
Bravo Delta
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I'm not saying it happens often, but it literally says in article 99 that if they can't release you due to staffing that your hardship will remain on file for 15 months and they will reevaluate the status of your release every six months.
If the Agency determines that the request cannot be accommodated due to staffing, the request will remain active for fifteen (15) months and reviewed every six (6) months by the Parties at the Service Area/AFSIAG level. After each six (6) month review, a notice will be sent to the employee regarding the disposition of the request
A99 section 6 last couple paragraphs
Dominipino
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you’re reading that the way you want to interpret it. The others are right. It’s based on the staffing at the receiving facilities not the facility you’re leaving. I just left on a hardship in October from a facility that was understaffed and the facility I was requesting had no room so I was offered another in the same geographical location.
Electricfence
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no he is not reading it to his interpretation. It does not happen often but they can hold someone. However, Most people read it your way for sure and don’t bother with it because people scream bloody murder.
for this guys specific case fuck people for trying to hold him back. His kids problem is legit, take care of your family brother, talk to hardship rep rvp etc etc. get your son the care he needs and fuck the rest.
