Articles

Paid time off and leaves of absence are a staple in the airline industry. But as negotiating leverage has shifted to labor, and with a Democrat in the White House, these benefits are expanding across the country and in the airline industry. What leave benefits are expanding?

• Employees are pushing for increased paid leave benefits, particularly for the employee’s own illness and for maternity and baby bonding
• Fathers are using FMLA baby-bonding leave in greater numbers and for longer periods of time and are seeking equity with the paid benefits offered to mothers
• Many women, particularly flight attendants (who are traditionally majority female), are pushing for longer and greater leave benefits to accommodate breast-feeding
• Many states have adopted paid leave laws, which are often inconsistent with and do not accommodate CBA-based sick leave
• Particularly with the prevalence of long COVID, employees are demanding leave time beyond what is offered under the FMLA and similar state laws for their own serious health conditions
• Many employees are burned out from the yo-yo effects of COVID and seeking increased paid time off to work on their mental health