Fast Fact Friday: OJIs

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While most of our duty days are uneventful, there are times when something more significant happens. One of those unintended… and unexpected… situations would be an On-the-Job Injury (OJI). What happens when you are injured while performing your duties as a Flight Attendant? And what procedures should you follow to protect yourself? This week, our TWU Local 556 Education Committee partnered with our Union’s Leave Specialist to break down our OJI procedures and provide important tips if this unfortunate situation happens to you.

If you have any questions about the OJI program, please visit the Leave, OJI, & Accommodations Help Center in Workday. You’ll find helpful resources pertaining to opening a case, providing required documentation, connecting with your Case Manager, and more.

As always, our TWU Local 556 Leave Specialists are available to provide guidance and support. If you have questions, email leavehelp@staging1.twu556.org.

30-Second Review

• Fast Fact Friday
• In Our Contract
• Question from a Member
• OJI Steps and Best Practices
• From our Leave Specialist
• Get Involved!
• Contacting TWU Local 556

On-the-Job Injury (OJI)

With warmer summer weather heading our way quickly, it’s important to review the necessary procedures when you are injured while performing job duties. The warmer weather months historically see an increase in reported injuries due to turbulence, exploding hot cans, and even heat exhaustion/stroke. So, let’s take a moment and review the reporting procedures and steps taken when you experience the traumatic event of being hurt or injured while performing your duties as a Flight Attendant.

Tap the preview graphic to expand.

Article 16

Looking for contractual language specific to sick call procedures — including sick bank accrual, sick pay, max sick bank TFP, and what happens to unused sick leave, OJI, returning from sick leave, and more – check out Article 16 – Sick Leave/On the Job Injury.

🔗 Read Article 16 – Sick Leave/On the Job Injury

❓Question: “I was walking through the airport and slipped on a spilled Starbucks coffee! Am I covered by the OJI program?”

👉 Answer: Unfortunately, not all states cover injuries that happen off the aircraft (i.e., at the hotel, in the airport, etc.). If you are injured off the airplane, please report the injury to a Supervisor (so they can fill out and submit an I3R form) and submit an IR. The third-party administrator (Sedgwick) will determine if your claim is approved under the law. All visits to the company-designated OJI doctor up to the date of the official denial by Sedgwick are covered.

OJI Steps

1. Call a Domicile Supervisor and have them fill out and submit an I3R form. A copy of this form will be sent to Inflight Attendance and Leave and your company email address (wnco).

2. Take the I3R form to the company-designated physician. Make sure that you go to a location designated on the OJI Clinic List. The first visit is a walk-in and does not require an appointment. If the designated clinic is closed, go to the nearest Emergency Room (ER), then follow up with the designated clinic when it is open. If the doctor includes workplace restrictions on the form, Southwest Airlines will not allow you to return to work. You may need to report sick to be pulled for an assignment(s), and then Southwest Airlines will code your sick call to Workman’s Comp once Attendance and Leave (A&L) has received all the required paperwork.

OJI Clinic List: SWALife > My Work > Inflight > My Schedule > Audit, Attendance & Leave > Leave of Absence Resources > Works Compensation (OJI) > OJI Designated Clinic Listing

Note: If the company-designated OJI doctor determines that you can return to work without restrictions, you can call in sick utilizing our contractual protections, but Worker’s Comp will not excuse the absence. You can utilize a valid quarterly Doctor’s note (Article 32.4) or PIN (Article 32.5), or an applicable State Leave (i.e., OSCK) to not accrue attendance points.

3. Submit required documents from the ER and/or company-designated OJI doctor on Workday.

4. Write and file an Irregulatory Report (IR).

OJI Best Practices

• Every time you go to the Worker’s Comp doctor, they will give you a Work Status form. Please upload the Work Status form in Workday as soon as possible.
• If you have an upcoming pairing/Reserve block, please report sick if your Work Status form has not been processed. A&L will only pull your trips from one doctor’s appointment to the next doctor’s appointment.
• If the Work Status form says you can return to work without restrictions, then you will be able to return to flying. If you do not feel well enough to report to work as scheduled, you can always use our contractual language in Article 32 to report sick.
• Per the “SWA Worker’s Compensation Handbook” page 6, it is the Flight Attendant’s responsibility to upload the Work Status form to Workday, and report sick until A&L processes the form.
• If you need to communicate with your Sedgwick adjuster, it is best to do so via email to ensure you have documentation of the conversation.

No one intends to get injured on the plane, but unfortunately, with our job, an injury can happen at any time. Please stay constantly aware of your surroundings. Check the aisles before you walk out with your drink tray. Make sure no straps, bags, or feet are blocking the aisle. If at any time the captain asks you to sit for turbulence, please make sure to buckle your jumpseat harness. Severe turbulence can happen fast. You can be seated and still be injured. Make a habit of locking the galley (even during drink service) after you close the compartment door. This way, if the captain asks you to sit quickly, your galley is already secured.

I want to talk about the overhead bins and passenger bags. Many flight attendants are injured by lifting luggage and closing bins. Yes, it is true, we must assist passengers with disabilities with their bags. However, do not do it alone. Use your CRM and ask a fellow crew member, another passenger, a pilot, or an ops agent to lift the bag with you. Two people should always be lifting bags. Never lift a bag alone.

We all know the overhead bins are heavier than ever. I urge you to please stop closing the bins with one arm. The bins are too heavy to close with just one arm. I don’t care how much you work out or never skip “arm day” at the gym; this repetitive motion could lead to an injury. Please face the bin and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place both hands on the bin — one hand on each side. Slightly bend at the knee and push the bin up.

We have been trained to push the aircraft on time. This is always the goal, of course. Who wants to be delayed on go-home day or on their overnight? However, your safety should always come first. If you have to take a 5-minute delay because you needed assistance lifting a bag, or it took longer than usual to properly close the overhead bin, well, that is better than being injured and on OJI for weeks/months/years.

Take your time. Stay aware of your surroundings. Slow down and put your own safety first. We tell passengers every day to don their own oxygen masks first, then help others. Are you doing the same with your physical safety on the plane?

Ann Claire Crawford
TWU Local 556 Board Member at Large & Leave Specialist

Workers’ Compensation programs are based on state-specific laws (for the state of your domicile). Because of this, certain states have stronger protections for work-related injuries.

How do you help improve your state’s OJI laws? You get involved in lobbying for better protections!

If you’re interested in this type of activism, reach out to your Domicile Executive Board Member (DEBM) or contact the Committee on Political Education (COPE) for information and opportunities at cope@staging1.twu556.org.

The TWU Local 556 Office is available via the TWU556 Connect App weekdays 0800–2200 Central Time (CT), and weekends/holidays 0900–1700 CT, and by phone at (214) 640-4300, weekdays 0800–1800 CT and weekends/holidays 0900–1700 CT.

Pink Contract – Website & TWU 556 Connect App

We have made a searchable electronic version of our new Pink Contract available on the TWU Local 556 Website. This version is both searchable and able to be downloaded.

Our Pink Contract is also available in the Library section of the TWU 556 Connect App. If you do not have the TWU 556 Connect App, you can download it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

The views contained herein do not necessarily represent those of TWU Local 556 or TWU International. The purpose of this email communication is intended only to educate and inform TWU Local 556 Members. It is not intended to officially establish or clarify past practice, Contract language, or grievance/arbitration positions. It is therefore not to be utilized or relied upon by any person or party as evidence of the Union’s position on any past practices, Contract language, grievances/arbitrations, or any other disputes or issues between TWU Local 556 and Southwest Airlines.