Narrative:

I was scheduled to fly at XA45 local. The night prior; I had not slept well due to a long and emotional discussion with my wife regarding our future. We have a strong relationship; however the environment at air carrier has put more stress on an already stressful year; both financially and personally. The impending notification of my second furlough has caused much anxiety and stress in our home. The morning of my flight; I did not feel as though the issues had been resolved; either with my wife; or myself; to the point that I could leave with a clear mind on a 4-ON; 1-OFF; 4-ON; 1-OFF; 3-ON; scheduled line. The lack of sleep the nights before had left me congested with a runny nose; and an overall feeling of listlessness; fatigue; and excessive stress. Based on these symptoms; I elected to call in sick for my trip that afternoon. I did not feel that I could operate at my optimum level. I spent the next 2 days sorting out our options and dealing with the emotional aspects and feelings that my chosen career has become a personal failure to myself and my family. I contacted a representative; and discussed my situation. I felt that some sort of disciplinary action would be waiting for me; for calling in sick. He instructed me to get a dr's note and have it available for the flight office. My experience getting the dr's note was difficult; as they didn't fully understand why I needed a note; if I felt well enough to work 3 days after the initial sick call. I am writing this report to identify that stress and emotional issues are amplified by the on-going fatiguing schedule; and that the pressure we continue to receive from the company serves only to make things worse. The company automatically assumed that there was a 'job action;' but nobody bothered to ask us how we were feeling; knowing that we would be losing our jobs in the coming months. As a pilot who faces furlough again; stress and emotionally upsetting problems resulting from employment; family issues; and other personal issues; make me wish the company would do more to support us and our problems; rather than cracking the whip and telling us to work harder.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO DESCRIBES FATIGUE AND FAMILY ISSUES LEADING UP TO A SICK CALL.

Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY AT XA45 LCL. THE NIGHT PRIOR; I HAD NOT SLEPT WELL DUE TO A LONG AND EMOTIONAL DISCUSSION WITH MY WIFE REGARDING OUR FUTURE. WE HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP; HOWEVER THE ENVIRONMENT AT ACR HAS PUT MORE STRESS ON AN ALREADY STRESSFUL YEAR; BOTH FINANCIALLY AND PERSONALLY. THE IMPENDING NOTIFICATION OF MY SECOND FURLOUGH HAS CAUSED MUCH ANXIETY AND STRESS IN OUR HOME. THE MORNING OF MY FLT; I DID NOT FEEL AS THOUGH THE ISSUES HAD BEEN RESOLVED; EITHER WITH MY WIFE; OR MYSELF; TO THE POINT THAT I COULD LEAVE WITH A CLEAR MIND ON A 4-ON; 1-OFF; 4-ON; 1-OFF; 3-ON; SCHEDULED LINE. THE LACK OF SLEEP THE NIGHTS BEFORE HAD LEFT ME CONGESTED WITH A RUNNY NOSE; AND AN OVERALL FEELING OF LISTLESSNESS; FATIGUE; AND EXCESSIVE STRESS. BASED ON THESE SYMPTOMS; I ELECTED TO CALL IN SICK FOR MY TRIP THAT AFTERNOON. I DID NOT FEEL THAT I COULD OPERATE AT MY OPTIMUM LEVEL. I SPENT THE NEXT 2 DAYS SORTING OUT OUR OPTIONS AND DEALING WITH THE EMOTIONAL ASPECTS AND FEELINGS THAT MY CHOSEN CAREER HAS BECOME A PERSONAL FAILURE TO MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. I CONTACTED A REPRESENTATIVE; AND DISCUSSED MY SITUATION. I FELT THAT SOME SORT OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION WOULD BE WAITING FOR ME; FOR CALLING IN SICK. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO GET A DR'S NOTE AND HAVE IT AVAILABLE FOR THE FLT OFFICE. MY EXPERIENCE GETTING THE DR'S NOTE WAS DIFFICULT; AS THEY DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY I NEEDED A NOTE; IF I FELT WELL ENOUGH TO WORK 3 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL SICK CALL. I AM WRITING THIS REPORT TO IDENTIFY THAT STRESS AND EMOTIONAL ISSUES ARE AMPLIFIED BY THE ON-GOING FATIGUING SCHEDULE; AND THAT THE PRESSURE WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FROM THE COMPANY SERVES ONLY TO MAKE THINGS WORSE. THE COMPANY AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMED THAT THERE WAS A 'JOB ACTION;' BUT NOBODY BOTHERED TO ASK US HOW WE WERE FEELING; KNOWING THAT WE WOULD BE LOSING OUR JOBS IN THE COMING MONTHS. AS A PLT WHO FACES FURLOUGH AGAIN; STRESS AND EMOTIONALLY UPSETTING PROBS RESULTING FROM EMPLOYMENT; FAMILY ISSUES; AND OTHER PERSONAL ISSUES; MAKE ME WISH THE COMPANY WOULD DO MORE TO SUPPORT US AND OUR PROBS; RATHER THAN CRACKING THE WHIP AND TELLING US TO WORK HARDER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.