Absence Reporting

Many of you have been contacting us concerning management's decision to require employees to contact both their supervisors AND Aetna on the third day of all absences.  The Company claimed the change was necessary as it moved the administration of Alcatel-Lucent's Short Term Disability Plan, Sickness and Accident Disability Benefit Plan, FMLA administration, and other leaves to Aetna.  The Union vigorously argued that absence reporting was a bargained for item and could not be changed by the Company.

Based on those discussions, the Company is, for now, "pulling back" the requirement for employees to notify Aetna while changes to the SADBP document are being evaluated.  This change will be going out to employees and supervisors immediately.  We continue to maintain that the benefit issues are separate from the absence reporting issue.  We will keep you informed of any new developments.

In Unity,

Laura Unger
Martha Flagge
CWA Representatives

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