AFA-CWA Calling for U.S. Congress to Provide FMLA Coverage to Flight Attendants.

The Family and Medical Leave Act was legislated to allow workers to take unpaid leave or to substitute appropriate earned paid leave for up to 12 work weeks in any 12 month period to care for a child, family member with a serious health condition, or the employee's own health condition. As determined by the Fair Labor Standards Act, coverage is based upon working 1,250 hours in a year. However, due to this requirement, this formula does not provide FMLA protection/coverage for flight attendants (because time spent between airline trips (as compared with "flight time") does not count towards their time at work).

As a result of this situation, the AFA-CWA is calling for U.S. Congress to take action that would provide FMLA coverage to flight attendants. For additional detail, please click here to see the AFA-CWA legislative fact sheet.