Narrative:

I am writing to you about the enclosed letter. My motivation for sending it to you is to alert you about the kinds of pressure we are put under by our employers to fly in marginal sits -- in this case, while 'sick.' many pilots at my company received this letter. I got it because in mar/93 I caught a cold and flu, which settled in my sinuses. Then, I thought I had recovered and returned to work, but felt 'dizzy' a couple of days later. After a doctor's examination, it was determined that I had an inner ear infection -- I felt fine, but had vertigo. I was off work for a total of 3 weeks. My point is, if I had a desk job, I could have returned to work much sooner. But, because of our unique duties and responsibilities, pilots cannot work (fly) with certain conditions or while on certain medications. But, in the pursuit of the almighty dollar, when funding the bottom line is the only goal, management tries to threaten pilots with their jobs to cut the number of sick days. Its a dangerous mindset for management, and only encourages pilots to fly in questionable conditions. Not conducive to safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FO'S RPT ON LETTER RECEIVED FROM MGMNT ON SICK LEAVE ABUSE.

Narrative: I AM WRITING TO YOU ABOUT THE ENCLOSED LETTER. MY MOTIVATION FOR SENDING IT TO YOU IS TO ALERT YOU ABOUT THE KINDS OF PRESSURE WE ARE PUT UNDER BY OUR EMPLOYERS TO FLY IN MARGINAL SITS -- IN THIS CASE, WHILE 'SICK.' MANY PLTS AT MY COMPANY RECEIVED THIS LETTER. I GOT IT BECAUSE IN MAR/93 I CAUGHT A COLD AND FLU, WHICH SETTLED IN MY SINUSES. THEN, I THOUGHT I HAD RECOVERED AND RETURNED TO WORK, BUT FELT 'DIZZY' A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. AFTER A DOCTOR'S EXAMINATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT I HAD AN INNER EAR INFECTION -- I FELT FINE, BUT HAD VERTIGO. I WAS OFF WORK FOR A TOTAL OF 3 WKS. MY POINT IS, IF I HAD A DESK JOB, I COULD HAVE RETURNED TO WORK MUCH SOONER. BUT, BECAUSE OF OUR UNIQUE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, PLTS CANNOT WORK (FLY) WITH CERTAIN CONDITIONS OR WHILE ON CERTAIN MEDICATIONS. BUT, IN THE PURSUIT OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR, WHEN FUNDING THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE ONLY GOAL, MGMNT TRIES TO THREATEN PLTS WITH THEIR JOBS TO CUT THE NUMBER OF SICK DAYS. ITS A DANGEROUS MINDSET FOR MGMNT, AND ONLY ENCOURAGES PLTS TO FLY IN QUESTIONABLE CONDITIONS. NOT CONDUCIVE TO SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.