Dear Flight Attendant,
SIA is very concerned at the alarming number of Probationary Flight Attendants that are calling off work, not excusing their absences and being terminated. As a Probationary Flight Attendant, the Company reserves the right to separate your employment at any time, for any reason. While this should not happen without just cause, please remember that the policies contained in the reliability section (SP2306) of the Flight Attendant Policy Manual do not directly apply to you as a Probationary Flight Attendant until you have completed one year of service and passed probation. This should be something that was extensively reviewed with you during Initial New Hire Training.
Flight Attendants hired in 2016 are NOT allowed ANY Unexcused Absences. If you call off duty for any reason, you must submit an online request to excuse your absence with either a Dr.’s note or by submitting an Excused Personal Emergency on SkyWest Online. Either must be submitted within 5 days of returning to duty. Please do not rely on Crew Support for information regarding your personal reliability. This is information you should seek through your Chief Flight Attendant directly and always via email to ensure you have documentation.
If you are absent for any reason and are unsure of what to do, we encourage you to utilize your resources to ensure your job is protected. Please contact your Chief Flight Attendant, Laralee Anderson or SIA.
SIA cares about you and we know how hard you worked to get through Initial New Hire Training so please, Talk to SIA at www.oursia.org or call 855.2OURSIA if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Your SIA Team
Q&A
How do I excuse an absence?
SkyWest Online > Operations > Crewmember > Excused Occurrence Submission
How many absences can I excuse during my Probationary Period?
In a rolling 12 months, every Flight Attendant has 5 excused absences. You can choose to utilize a combination of 3 Dr.’s notes and 2 Personal Emergencies or 3 Personal Emergencies and 2 Dr.’s notes. Please be aware that InFlight Leadership is monitoring all absences and if there is a concern with how many times you have missed work (even if excused), you may still be required to meet with your Chief Flight Attendant to discuss your continued employment with the Company.
How many days does a Dr.’s note excuse?
A Doctor’s Note may excuse an absence for up to six consecutive days. If you are ill for longer than this, you will need an additional doctor’s note to excuse the second absence. You may also apply for a Leave of Absence anytime your absence lasts 3 or more days.
How many days will a Personal Emergency Excuse?
A Personal Emergency Request will excuse an absence for up to four consecutive days.
Why is this different for Probationary Flight Attendants?
The Company reserves the right to set employment expectations during an employee’s Probationary Period. Flight attendants can refer to Company Policy Manual SP 60 Probationary Period.
Are there any days that cannot be excused?
Yes, a Personal Emergency cannot be used the day before, the day of, or the day after the following days:
- New Year’s Day
- Super Bowl Sunday
- Mother’s Day
- Memorial Day
- 4th Of July
- Labor Day
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
