Contractual Legal Rest And Your Layover
Be Armed & Ready to Defend Your Legal Rest!
SECTION 7.J.1.c. of the Contract states:
“Schedule - A planned legal rest must consist of at least: Eleven (11) hours free from duty at any point away from home where lodging is provided more than approximately fifteen (15) minutes time from the airport.”
If your ID is altered by irregular operations, your XSC meter is assigned a short layover, or you are "walked" to a different hotel than the contract hotel, be aware the Company is sometimes using hotels which are more than "approximately fifteen (15) minutes time from the airport." Most of the time, it will be up to you to know that if your layover provides you with less than eleven (11) hours free from duty, you need to be at a field hotel that is within approximately fifteen (15) minutes. When checking your layover time, remember to add applicable check-in and debriefing times, as provided in Section 7.I.3., to the eleven hours free from duty. Many times, the Crew Desk will not alert Crew Accommodations (the Hotel Desk via FLTLINE) of a change in your layover time, so the Hotel Desk will not be aware that you need a field hotel.
If you believe you will not have a legal rest at any layover station, call the Crew Desk and ask for either a contractually compliant hotel - they will place a remark in your ID and transfer you to the Hotel Desk - or a change in your ID which will afford you a legal rest at the assigned hotel. Section 6.B.8. provides that if a different "layover accommodation [is] used, the Company will reimburse the Flight Attendant for up to a five (5) minute telephone call to inform someone of the hotel actually being used. Reimbursement will be made after submitting an expense report" to the company.
As you professionally handle the conversation using our skills as Flight Attendants, do not hesitate to ask to speak with an Operating Manager at the Crew Desk and continue to refer to Section 7.J.1.c. as the reason for the correction in your ID or layover assignment. As always, keep notes on the conversation and always keep accurate records of the names of the people with who you speak. If you do not get resolution, fill out a TVLLOG and write a report to your Local Council. Turn these in to your local AFA office as soon as possible for follow up.
The AFA MEC Hotel and Transportation Committee is advising Members to take special care to enforce this Contractual right in locations where the Company is utilizing three (3) different hotels according to various layover times. This is often occurring in locations such as SJC, DEN and PDX. AFA objects to the Company's continued use of any hotels that fall outside those Contractually provided for at the field or for those associated with long layovers - and your assistance is required in holding the company to the Contract.
Remember to remain professional yet firm in your dealings with the Crew Desk as you ensure your legal rest at the hotel in compliance with the requirements of our Contract.
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