Applying for a Leave of Absence? Don’t understand the differences between the different types? Below you will find a quick guide that explains each leave. If you have any questions, please email us at benefits@twu577.org
For more information and to open a leave request visit the Allegiant Leave of Absence page.
FMLA Leave (Family and Medical Leave Act)
This applies for all leave claims, including personal leave and must be initiated through FMLAsource.com.
To be eligible for FMLA you must:
Employment Duration
Be employed for a minimum of 12 months or 52 weeks by the date your leave begins. Flight Attendants with breaks in their employment service may still qualify, as special rules apply in such cases. Having breaks in service does not necessarily disqualify you from FMLA leave.
FMLA-Qualifying Reason
Your leave must be taken for a reason that qualifies under FMLA guidelines.
Documentation Requirement
You are required to provide the necessary documentation for your leave as specified by the DOL (Department of Labor) Guidance. Once your medical care provider receives the paperwork it is pertinent that you follow up with them to ensure that they have sent the paperwork to FMLAsource. The paperwork MUST be received within 15 days.
Hours of Service Requirement
Over the previous 12 months, you must have worked or been paid 504 hours (hours do not include sick or vacation and excludes CCL payments).
If you meet all the above criteria, you will be eligible to apply for FMLA leave. If you do not qualify, you are still able to apply for personal leave.
See this DOL Family & Medical Leave Act Fact Sheet for information.
Intermittent Leave
This type of leave is used when you require a day or a short duration off for specific reasons like jury duty or FMLA-related matters (i.e., doctors appt). During intermittent FMLA, you must identify those days as FMLA days by promptly notifying FMLAsource. You can do this by calling, emailing, or marking the date in the FMLA portal on their website. This must be submitted within 24 hours of calling out. Failure to do so may result in point assessments, as per management’s discretion.
Continuous Leave
Continuous leaves or block leaves are for when you need to be absent from work for an extended period from one date to another, without the ability to work in between. Common examples include medical procedures, treatments, and parental leaves.
Personal Leave
Personal leaves are subject to approval or denial by management, and they can be granted for various reasons. This is often used when a Flight Attendant has not met the criteria requirements for FMLA. Reach out to your Base Supervisor to obtain more information on how to apply.
Paid Bereavement Leave
Flight Attendants are entitled to a paid (pay protected PPSK) Leave of Absence associated with the death of an immediate family member of up to seven (7) calendar days, available to be used in up to two (2) blocks of consecutive days, one of which must be the date of interment or memorial service of an immediate family member. If the Flight Attendant wishes to take additional bereavement leave beyond seven (7) calendar days, the Flight Attendant may use accrued Sick time, accrued but unused Vacation, or take unpaid time off with the approval of their Inflight Base supervisor. The Company will not unreasonably deny a Flight Attendant’s request for additional leave. For purposes of this Section 11.H, the term “immediate family members” includes: spouse; domestic partner; children; children, parents, or grandparents of spouse or domestic partner; parents; siblings; daughter-in-law; son-in-law; grandparents; grandchildren; stepparents; step grandparents; stepchildren; aunts; and uncles. Proof of qualifying event may be required upon request by the Company.
Paid Parental Leave
Allegiant will provide up to six weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave to eligible Team Members following the birth of a Team Member’s child or the placement of a child with a Team Member in connection with adoption.
Paid Jury Duty
A Flight Attendant required to serve jury duty or who has been subpoenaed to appear as a witness in a state or federal court proceeding (except as provided in Section 11.D.3 below) will be pay protected (PPSK) for the Trips removed from their schedule, or the minimum guarantee, whichever is greater. Any incidental compensation received for jury duty service may be retained by the employee.
1. Upon receipt of a jury/witness summons, a Flight Attendant must immediately contact their Inflight Base supervisor or the designated agent for the Company to request the leave. When the Flight Attendant has confirmed that they will have to appear for court, they must also provide the following: i. Date of first day of jury/witness duty. ii. Name and location of court where service will occur.
2. Flight Attendants regularly scheduled to work on Saturday, Sunday or a Holiday are expected to work on those days, even if they are assigned to jury/witness duty during the week. If a Flight Attendant is expected to and/or serves on jury/witness duty for five (5) or more days and is scheduled for duty on the Saturday and Sunday after or during their jury/witness duty, the Flight Attendant may request to be removed from service unpaid on either the Saturday or Sunday. Such request must be made by 0900 Pacific Time the Thursday before the duty assignment. The Company shall then have the discretion to choose which of the two (2) days of duty (the Saturday or the Sunday) the Flight Attendant will be removed from service unpaid based on operational need. Such removal will not affect the Flight Attendant’s attendance or record improvement.
3. A Flight Attendant who is required to appear in court for their own alleged violation or for personal reasons will not be compensated for any hours lost due to the court appearance.
4. A Flight Attendant cannot pick up a Trip on a day that was removed and pay protected (PPSK) for jury/witness duty leave.
5. Time missed from work for the mandatory serving of jury duty or appearance as a subpoenaed witness in a State or Federal Court proceeding will not affect the Flight Attendant’s attendance or record improvement.
Unpaid Wedding Leave
A Flight Attendant may request the Company pre-load an unpaid absence in order to block their calendar from potential assignment of duty during the line building process in order to attend their own scheduled wedding. Upon request, the Company shall grant an unpaid Wedding Leave of Absence for a Flight Attendant’s actual wedding of up to three (3) consecutive days, one of which must be the date of the wedding. Any request for leave beyond three (3) days shall be at the discretion of the Company. Any requests for Wedding Leave must be submitted in writing no later than the 15th of the month prior to the Bid Period in which the Flight Attendant would be bidding (e.g., for the July Bid Month, the Flight Attendant would need to provide their Wedding Leave request no later than May 15). Proof of qualifying event may be required upon request by the Company.
Important Information
If your period of absence starts before the leave is approved, you must contact Crew Services and inform them that you are calling out pending a leave of absence (FMLA, Jury Duty, Personal, Bereavement, etc.). You must callout for every day of work until the leave is processed and approved. You can call out for up to three days at a time. If the leave is approved, management will reevaluate those days and remove any points that were assessed for that period.