Return to Work Process

Flight attendants who are on a leave of absence are considered to be on inactive status. In order to end the leave and return to active status, you must complete the following steps in the following order:

Receive a medical clearance from United Medical (if required).
Complete a DOT Staffing Clearance if LOA is over 365 calendar days.
Attend any required training.
Fly a trip, sit a day of Reserve, or engage in a Contractual schedule change (e.g., trip trade, personal drop (PTO), etc.)

Until such time as you have completed these steps, you remain on inactive status. Prior to attending any required training, you must complete the Return-to-Work process.

Note: A Return to Work or "Medical Clearance to Return to Work" may be necessary for any absence exceeding 30 days.

Failure to Return from Leave of Absence

CBA 15.E.1. - 15.E.2

Leaves of absence required due to occupational/non-occupational illness or occupational/non-occupational injury shall be granted upon written verification of disability from a qualified medical doctor. Any such leave may not exceed the lesser of: The period of disability, or three (3) years. At the end of the maximum period, the Flight Attendant will be administratively terminated and removed from the System Seniority List.

How Long Does Return to Work Process Take?

The time is takes to Return to Work depends on many factors such as but not limited to; length of time you were out, qualifications lapsed, number of FAs awaiting a return, etc.
Your time awaiting your return remains unpaid under the following Contractual provision.

15.A.7.c.

When a Flight Attendant is returning to work from a leave of absence and requires training in order to return to flight status, the Company shall make training available within forty-five (45) days of the Flight Attendant’s acknowledgement or notice of return from leave. In the event that the Company does not make training available commencing by the 45th day, the Flight Attendant will be paid as if in active service beginning on the 46th day or the Flight Attendant’s expected date of return, whichever is later.

When to Begin the Return to Work Process?

If you are on a Medical Leave of Absence, or Occupational Leave of Absence:

Submit either an Absence Certificate (Medical Leave), or Employee Status Form (Occupational Leave) to Help Hub no more than thirty (30) days prior to your return-to-work date to begin the process. You will not be returned to active status or awarded a LOF without confirmation from FAST that all return-to-work requirements listed below are met.

If you are on an Adoption, Maternity, Parental, Personal or Company Offered Leave of Absence:

Contact FAST a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to your return-to-work date to begin the process. You will not be returned to active status or awarded a LOF without confirmation from FAST that all return-to-work requirements listed below are met.

If you are on a Military Leave of Absence:

Contact FAST to give notice of your intent to return to work as soon as possible. You will be provided time off required by law after the expiration of your military service.

If your Military Leave of Absence is:

Thirty (30) days or less – provide notice of your intent to return to work by reporting no later than the beginning of the first full regularly scheduled work period on the first full calendar day following: (1) the completion of military service; and (2) your return to your residence; and (3) an eight (8) hour rest period.
Thirty-one to one hundred eighty (31-180) days – submit an application for reemployment* within fourteen (14) days of return from service unless a greater period is otherwise provided by law.
More than one hundred eighty (180) days – submit an application for reemployment* within ninety (90) days of return from service.

United will consider extension of your leave if circumstances beyond your control prevent a return to work before your Leave of Absence expires. You will not be returned to active status without confirmation that all conditions for return to work are met. You will be returned to your assigned base, provided you return on or before the expiration date of your leave. Upon return, present documentation to FAST which states you have satisfactorily completed your period of military service.

What is the Return to Work Process?

RTW Steps and Contact Information

Medical clearance (from a medical leave of absence):
Contact: Employee Service Center (ESC) (877) 825-3729
Staffing administration (background check, drug testing, fingerprints, etc.)
Contact: (346) 265-3672 or staffingadministration@united.com
Badging
Contact: FAST to request updated crew badge when returning from LOA
eFAOM
Contact: the Administration Supervisor in your Base, or check Flying Together→My Work→CQ/RQ→Step One: Self Audit.

Depending on the length of your absence, you may not require some of the above processes. FAST will contact you once your return-to-work clearance is received and all of the above processes pertaining to your return, have been completed. FAST will discuss Inflight requirements and schedule you for the first available training class.

Return to Work Checklist

What Defines a "Return to Work"?

Flight attendants who are on a leave of absence are considered to be on inactive status. In order to end the leave and return to active status, you must complete the following steps in the following order:

Receive a medical clearance from United Medical (if required).
Complete a DOT Staffing Clearance if LOA is over 365 calendar days.
Attend any required training.
Fly a trip, sit a day of Reserve, or engage in a Contractual schedule change (e.g., trip trade, personal drop (PTO), etc.)

Until such time as you have completed these steps, you remain on inactive status. Prior to attending any required training, you must complete the Return-to-Work process.

Note: A Return to Work or "Medical Clearance to Return to Work" may be necessary for any absence exceeding 30 days.

⚠️ Failure to Return from Leave of Absence

CBA 15.E.1. - 15.E.2

Leaves of absence required due to occupational/non-occupational illness or occupational/non-occupational injury shall be granted upon written verification of disability from a qualified medical doctor. Any such leave may not exceed the lesser of: The period of disability, or three (3) years. At the end of the maximum period, the Flight Attendant will be administratively terminated and removed from the System Seniority List.

How Long Does Return to Work Process Take?

The time is takes to Return to Work depends on many factors such as but not limited to; length of time you were out, qualifications lapsed, number of FAs awaiting a return, etc.
Your time awaiting your return remains unpaid under the following Contractual provision.

15.A.7.c.

When a Flight Attendant is returning to work from a leave of absence and requires training in order to return to flight status, the Company shall make training available within forty-five (45) days of the Flight Attendant’s acknowledgement or notice of return from leave. In the event that the Company does not make training available commencing by the 45th day, the Flight Attendant will be paid as if in active service beginning on the 46th day or the Flight Attendant’s expected date of return, whichever is later.

When to Begin the Return to Work Process?

If you are on a Medical Leave of Absence, or Occupational Leave of Absence:

Submit either an Absence Certificate (Medical Leave), or Employee Status Form (Occupational Leave) to Help Hub no more than thirty (30) days prior to your return-to-work date to begin the process. You will not be returned to active status or awarded a LOF without confirmation from FAST that all return-to-work requirements listed below are met.

If you are on an Adoption, Maternity, Parental, Personal or Company Offered Leave of Absence:

Contact FAST a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to your return-to-work date to begin the process. You will not be returned to active status or awarded a LOF without confirmation from FAST that all return-to-work requirements listed below are met.

If you are on a Military Leave of Absence:

Contact FAST to give notice of your intent to return to work as soon as possible. You will be provided time off required by law after the expiration of your military service.

If your Military Leave of Absence is:

- Thirty (30) days or less – provide notice of your intent to return to work by reporting no later than the beginning of the first full regularly scheduled work period on the first full calendar day following: (1) the completion of military service; and (2) your return to your residence; and (3) an eight (8) hour rest period.
- Thirty-one to one hundred eighty (31-180) days – submit an application for reemployment* within fourteen (14) days of return from service unless a greater period is otherwise provided by law.
- More than one hundred eighty (180) days – submit an application for reemployment* within ninety (90) days of return from service.

United will consider extension of your leave if circumstances beyond your control prevent a return to work before your Leave of Absence expires. You will not be returned to active status without confirmation that all conditions for return to work are met. You will be returned to your assigned base, provided you return on or before the expiration date of your leave. Upon return, present documentation to FAST which states you have satisfactorily completed your period of military service.

What is the Return to Work Process?

RTW Steps and Contact Information

Medical clearance (from a medical leave of absence):
Contact: Employee Service Center (ESC) (877) 825-3729
Staffing administration (background check, drug testing, fingerprints, etc.)
Contact: (346) 265-3672 or staffingadministration@united.com
Badging
Contact: FAST to request updated crew badge when returning from LOA
eFAOM
Contact: the Administration Supervisor in your Base, or check Flying Together→My Work→CQ/RQ→Step One: Self Audit.

Depending on the length of your absence, you may not require some of the above processes. FAST will contact you once your return-to-work clearance is received and all of the above processes pertaining to your return, have been completed. FAST will discuss Inflight requirements and schedule you for the first available training class.

Return to Work Checklist

Benchmarks to Return to Work

Obtain Medical Clearance to Return to Work

(if applicable) ie; Occupational LOA, Medical LOA, Maternity LOA, Continuous FMLA, Continuous FAMLI

Submit any Non-Occupational Medical Documentation via Help Hub
Documentation provided should be an Absence Certificate stating you are "able to return to work without restrictions"

Note: As Flight Attendants our job does not provide for "transitional duty", so you are not able to return to work if you have any restrictions.

Submit any Occupational Medical Documentation, ie. Employee Status Form, via your existing Help hub case for your claim.

Update Passport / Visas

You are required to carry a valid passport and necessary visas on all flight assignments. If not already accomplished, obtain a valid passport prior to returning. If your PRC visa is expiring within forty-five (45) days, a MUST-READ notification on CCS will be sent with directions on renewal. The process for renewal (and a copy of the email) can be found in Flying Together→Inflight Services→My Work Tools. Click Visa Letters and Process for Instructions. If you are returning from a Medical or Maternity Leave of Absence, you must have cleared UALMD (even if not yet returned) prior to submitting for renewal. If returning from any other type of Leave of Absence, you need to be within forty-five (45) days of returning to duty prior to submitting for renewal. Ensure passport/visa information is on file at United prior to your first work assignment.

The TSA requires the name on your passport is identical to the name on Company information.

Obtain TSA Fingerprint Clearance

If your Leave of Absence exceeded one (1) year and your fingerprint clearance is more than a year old, your fingerprints must be resubmitted before return to work or training. If your last fingerprint submission was in a format allowing United to resubmit them on your behalf, FAST will do so. If prints are not in a format for resubmission, you will be contacted and advised on how to resubmit fingerprints. No action is required on your part for resubmission of your prints unless advised otherwise.

If required to retake fingerprints, FAST will advise you of the fingerprint facilities. Two (2) forms of government issued ID are required (i.e., passport, driver’s license, certified birth certificate, or social security card) when prints are taken. FAST will advise when your fingerprint clearance is received. You then become eligible to receive your updated TSA Crewmember Badge. If any clearance issues occur during the process, you will be contacted by FAST with additional instructions.

Obtain United Crewmember Badge and/or Parking Badge Card

Once you are cleared to return to work, the FAST team will send your badge to your home address or to your Base location. You may contact your direct Inflight Support Supervisor for more information. Or contact DEN Concierge Desk at 303-348-3052.

Update Your Electronic Flight Attendant Operations Manual (eFAOM)

Prior to attending training or your first flight assignment, you need to ensure your eFAOM (LINK) is updated. If you have any questions about your LINK, please contact FAST LINK Support. Your manual will be inspected upon return to training or flying to ensure it complies with FAR 121.137.

You can Self-Audit your link by going to Flying Together→My Work→CQ/RQ→Step One: Self Audit

Bid for Schedule

Flight attendants are encouraged to submit bids via CCS. Bid packets are available in CCS. Go to CCS > Bidding > Bid Packets.

You will only be awarded a schedule if all the following are met:

Medical clearance has been received, approved, and processed by FAST prior to 16:00 CST on the sixteenth (16th) of the month preceding the primary award.

Your clearance to RTW confirms a date prior to the first day of the schedule month.
You are fully qualified to fly or, if training is required, have enrolled in a class and training will be completed by the fifteenth (15th) of the current schedule month.

Once you have completed the RTW process, you are eligible to be awarded a schedule. If you did not bid, you will be assigned a schedule based on the lowest numbered line available at your seniority and status as a lineholder or reserve (A, B Letter pertains to international bases and HNL only).

If the return-to-work process was not completed prior to the sixteenth (16th) of the month, you will not receive a schedule for the next month. Line Builds for those returning from a Leave of Absence occur at 18:00 HDT on the twenty-second (22nd) of the month prior, you may contact FAST at FLT LINE Options 4, then 7, then 2, Monday through Friday, 0800-1600 CST with questions.

Line Build

First, FAST reviews the bid date/qualifications to determine if FA is a Reserve or Line Holder, FSL/Purser, or Language Qualified, as well as any remaining vacation for the month. See CBA 15.A.8. RETURN TO WORK LINE OF FLYING (page 161-163).

15.A.8.a.
Starting with the Work With Window, (22nd of the month prior) a Flight Attendant returning to work who was not eligible to participate in the bid process but who is now qualified and current, shall be eligible to build their line of flying for the next bid month by contacting FAST.

15.A.8.a.(1).

Once a Flight Attendant has completed all of the required steps of the return-to-work process, FAST will contact the Flight Attendant to notify them of their lineholder/reserve status and advise them to call within forty-eight (48) hours to start the line-building process.

15.A.8.a.(2).

If the Flight Attendant does not call within forty-eight (48) hours, FAST will build the schedule.

15.A.8.a.(3).

When the Flight Attendant calls within the forty-eight (48) hours, the Flight Attendant shall begin building their schedule with FAST.

15.A.8.b.(1)

If the Flight Attendant is contacted between the 22nd of the previous month and the 9th of the return-to-work month, they will be given five (5) calendar days to complete the schedule.

15.A.8.b.(2).

If the Flight Attendant is contacted on or after the 10th of the return-to-work month, they will be given three (3) calendar days to complete the schedule.

15.A.8.b.(3).

Unless otherwise delineated below, the line shall be restricted from trip trading functions until the completion of the process.

15.A.8.b.(4).

The Flight Attendant will contact FAST within the time limits set in paragraphs 15.A.8.b.(1). or 15.A.8.b.(2). as applicable, to add pairings to their schedule from Open Time. FAST will place the pairings selected by the Flight Attendant in their line of flying, if they are still available in Open Time, until they have reached their designated minimum number of required credited hours.

15.A.8.b.(5).

If the Flight Attendant is available for the whole month, they will be required to select pairings with a total credited value no less than the seventy-one hours (71:00) lineholder minimum.

15.A.8.b.(6).

If the Flight Attendant is not available for the whole month FAST will inform them of the minimum number of credited hours they need to reach when selecting pairings, prorated from the lineholder minimum of seventy-one hours (71:00). FAST will also inform them of their guaranteed minimum number of days off, prorated from ten (10).

15.A.8.b.(7).

If the Flight Attendant’s seniority allows them to build a lineholder schedule, FAST will notify them whether their seniority allows them to build the line with domestic pairings or international pairings 15.A.8.b.(8). If there are no pairings in Open Time to complete a full schedule: 15.A.8.b.(8). (a)

RESERVE:

15.A.8.c.(1).

When the Flight Attendant calls FAST pursuant to paragraph 15.A.8.a.(3)., above, if their seniority would have resulted in holding a reserve schedule, or they choose to be on reserve status, FAST will work with the Flight Attendant to build a Reserve line with the appropriate number of days of availability and days off, prorated as necessary. In addition, the Reserves minimum guarantee will be set based on the number of days of availability in their line.

15.A.8.c.(2).

If the Flight Attendant is available for the entire month, they will notify FAST of the line they request subject to the seniority requirement and their reserve minimum guarantee will be seventy-eight (78) hours, prorated as necessary based on the line selected. FAST will inform the Flight Attendant of their reserve guarantee if not available for the entire month, prorated from the reserve minimum guarantee of seventy-eight (78) hours.

15.A.8.c.(3).

If the Flight Attendant does not contact FAST pursuant to paragraph 15.A.8.a.(3)., above, FAST will build them a Reserve line with the appropriate number of days. If the Flight Attendant is a reserve, FAST will advise them which reserve lines their seniority could have held and to contact the scheduling team within 24 hours to have one of the available reserve line placed in their schedule for the remainder of the month.

DOMESTIC LINE HOLDER:

If the Flight Attendant calls prior to the final deadline and there are no domestic pairings available in Open time, at their option, they may choose to;

Wait for domestic pairings to become available or,
Decline to continue the process.

If the Flight Attendant declines to continue the process, their line guarantee shall be set at that time at the current line value and restrictions on trip trading will be lifted at that time. 15.A.8.b.(8). (b).

INTERNATIONAL LINEHOLDER:

If the Flight Attendant calls prior to the final deadline and there are no international pairings available in Open time, at their option, they may choose to;

Wait for international pairings to become available
Select domestic pairings from Open Time
or decline to continue the process. If the Flight Attendant declines to continue the process, their line guarantee shall be set at that time at the current line value and restrictions on trip trading will be lifted at that time.

15.A.8.b.(9).

If the Flight Attendant does not complete building the line within the allotted time, FAST will complete the process, utilizing any trip for which the Flight Attendant is qualified.

15.A.8.b.(10).

At 0800 on the deadline day, as established in 15.A.8.b.(1). or 15.A.8.b.(2), above, FAST shall complete the line building process as provided in 15.A.8.b.(9)., above, after which the value of the line shall be set and the Flight Attendant will receive the appropriate minimum line guarantee, based on their full or prorated availability for the month and restrictions on trip trading will be lifted.

When calculating, FAST provides at least 1 FULL day grace to allow the Flight Attendant to work with the scheduling team or get into position.
Bid months are either 30-days or 31 days.
A full month is 71:00, daily breakdown is 2:22 per day in a 30-day bid month or 2:17 per day in a 31-day bid month. (see below)

Line Holder Line Build Value

Prorated Chart

Return to Work FAQ

⚠️ Failure to Return from Leave of Absence

CBA 15.E.1. - 15.E.2

Leaves of absence required due to occupational/non-occupational illness or occupational/non-occupational injury shall be granted upon written verification of disability from a qualified medical doctor. Any such leave may not exceed the lesser of: The period of disability, or three (3) years. At the end of the maximum period, the Flight Attendant will be administratively terminated and removed from the System Seniority List.