Tap here to download State Protected Hours – IL
IL LOA 101
State Protected Hours – IL
MDW-based Flight Attendants will be able to use their contractual sick leave for all the purposes listed under Illinois Paid Sick Leave ordinance, which include:
-
Illness, injury, medical care, treatment, diagnosis, or preventative care;
-
A workplace or school is closed due to a public health emergency; and
-
An absence due to domestic violence or sexual assault.
MDW-based Flight Attendants may use their Illinois Protected Sick Leave for themselves or for family members, for the covered reasons above.
Normal sick leave reporting requirements still apply. Current sick leave allotments remain the same, but MDW-based Flight Attendants will now have a bank of Protected Absence Hours (ILPH) they may use to protect a covered absence from the normal attendance policy. Protected Absence Hours are not a separate “bank” of paid time but merely reflect how much paid sick leave will be “protected” from normal attendance policies. For example, if you have 100 hours of normal paid sick leave and 24 Protected Absence Hours, then call out sick for a 3-day trip your remaining balance would be 0 Protected Absence Hours and your sick bank will be reduced by the amount of TFP paid.
Flight Attendants must have adequate time available in both their contractual paid sick leave bank and their Illinois Protected Absence Hour bank, to cover the absence(s) as available sick hours will be deducted accordingly. Illinois Protected Absence Hours will be accrued based on actual hours worked each month.
MDW-based Flight Attendants will have the option to apply Illinois Protected Absence Hours when they are absent from work for reasons covered in Illinois. The ILPH must be submitted via Workday prior to or on the next scheduled pairing or within seven (7) working days, (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays), after the ending of the last day of absence, whichever is earlier.
If the Employee does not submit their ILPH and declines Protected Absence Hours, the regular attendance policy in the Flight Attendant CBA will apply. This means the Employee will be subject to normal rules regarding pay, attendance points, and potential discipline.
Illinois Protected Hours (ILPH) Accrual
Please Review the chart to ensure you are aware of the annual accrual and usage maximums for your location.
IMPORTANT: Flight Attendants must have earned eight (8) hours of ILPH to cover a single day pairing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: How do I use my ILPH Protected Sick Leave?
You will need to report sick/ill as normal using either the Electronic Report Sick (ERS) on Crew Web Access (CWA) or call Crew Scheduling.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You will still need to report sick/ill as normal at least two (2) hours prior to check-in.
Q2: Can I opt to use ILPH Protected Sick Leave unpaid?
No. In order to use ILPH you must have the corresponding sick bank and earned ILPH days.
Q3: Do I need to tell Crew Scheduling that I want to use ILPH Protected Sick Leave?
No. Once you have reported sick/ill (timely) you can submit your ILPH on Workday via SWALife, or the app on your iEFB.
To Submit ILPH:
SWALife > Life & Career > Employee Services Main > Workday > Menu > Leave, OJI, & Accommodations > “Create Case” > Case Type – “State Leave Forms” > Case Title – “ILPH Request” > Click “Add Required Details” > Select “Illness Start Date” (Required Field), “Illness End Date” (Required Field), and the “Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinance” (Required Field) > Click “OK” > Click “Create Case”
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must apply your ILPH prior to or on the next scheduled pairing or within seven (7) working days, (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays), after the ending of the last day of absence, whichever is earlier. Submit your ILPH via the submission portal on Workday.
Q4: If I use ILPH, does it prevent quarterly record improvement?
No. If an absence is covered by ILPH, it will be considered a non-chargeable occurrence (no points) and all provisions of Article 32.7.A.1. will apply.
Q5: Am I able to use ILPH on a Personal Illness Note (PIN) blackout date?
Yes, blackout dates are only associated with a PIN.
Q6: If Emergency Sick Leave Procedures (ESCP) are in effect, can I still use ILPH to care for someone else?
Yes, if ESCP is in effect, after calling out sick/ill you will be transferred to either a Network Operations Center (NOC) Base Manager or Inflight Supervisor. When you speak to them, you will need to state that you are using ILPH to care for someone other than yourself. The NOC Base Manager or Inflight Supervisor may verify that you have ILPH days available and sick bank to cover the absence.
Q7: How do I find out how many ILPH day(s) I have available?
You can request the number of ILPH day(s) by submitting a “General Leave Request” in Workday.
SWALife > Life & Career > Employee Services Main > Workday > Menu > Leave, OJI, & Accommodations > “Create Case” > Case Type – “General Leave Inquiry”
Q8: How do I find out if I have enough sick bank available to cover my absence?
Log-in to www.swacrew.com > Reports > Payroll Report > Scroll to the Bottom.
For example, if you have a 3-day pairing that pays 21.3 TFP, you will need at least 21.3 TFP in your sick bank in order to use three (3) earned ILPH days.
Q9: How will I know if the ILPH has been applied to my absence?
Inflight Attendance and Leave typically takes 3-5 business days to apply State Leaves. Your CWA screen should show a green bar above your sick leave pay (SLP) bar with the “ILPH” code.
Q10: It’s great seeing these types of State Leaves being introduced in more domiciles. Is there anything I can do to help advance worker’s rights in IL and offer my support for more legislated improvements?
It is true that worker’s rights and protections often involve garnering political support and pushing for change. ILPH and similar laws being implemented in states throughout the US aren’t being extended to employees out of SWAs good heart. It’s Members like YOU who are affecting this positive change by organized discussions with elected officials in your state. If you would like to be more involved in activities, such as lobbying and state conventions, please reach out to your Domicile Executive Board Member (DEBM).
Illinois State Sick Leave Act (ILKC)
The ILKC allows MDW based Flight Attendants to take time off with pay for the illness , injury, or medical appointment of a child, stepchild, grandchild, grandparent, parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, sibling, spouse or domestic partner, or for personal care of a covered family member in compliance with the terms of Company Policies or applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Personal care means activities to ensure that a covered family member’s basic medical, hygiene, nutritional, or safety needs are met -or- to be physically present to provide emotional support to a covered family member receiving inpatient or home care.
All reporting requirements as outlined in the CBA are in effect. Attendance points will be applied for all reported absences and can be removed with a valid Doctor’s note or PIN for the covered Family Member. If a PIN or Doctor’s Note has already been used in the quarter for your own illness or injury, or for a family member under an ILKC reported absence, the attendance points will not be removed. If ILKC is utilized during PIN Black Out Dates (Article 32.5.b.v), a valid Doctor’s note for the covered family member must be submitted within the applicable timeline (Article 32.4).
IMPORTANT: If you do not have any ILPH but you have sick bank to cover your pairing and you need to care for a family member, then you can use the ILKC. To remove attendance points you will need to use your quarterly PIN or DN. You must fill out and attach the ILKC form when submitting your PIN or Doctor’s note in Workday.
ILKC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Where do I find the ILKC form?
The ILKC form can be found in the Attendance & Leave resources on SWALife.
SWALife > My Work > Inflight > My Schedule > Audit, Attendance & Leave > “Leave of Absence Resources” > State Leaves > Illinois > “Flight Attendant’s Request for Use of Illinois State Sick Leave Act (ILKC)”
Q2: How do I submit the ILKC form?
The completed ILKC form should be submitted with your PIN or Doctor’s note (whichever is applicable) in Workday.
Submitting the ILKC Form
STEP 1: Click on the hamburger icon in the top left corner of the screen
STEP 2: Under “Personal”, click “Leave, OJI, & Accommodations”
STEP 3: Create a case by selecting “Create Case”
STEP 4: Select “PIN” or “Doctor’s Note” in the dropdown menu (whichever is applicable)
STEP 5: Put “ILKC Request” and the days of absence in the “Case Title” box
STEP 6: Under “Detailed Description” click “Attach File” and upload the ILKC Form.
STEP 7: Click “Add Required Details”
STEP 8: Fill in the “Illness Start Date” (Required Field) and the “Illness End Date” (Required Field)
STEP 9: Click “OK”
STEP 10: Click “Create Case”