Family and Medical Leave Act Airline Flight Crew Technical Amendments

(February 2010)

On December 21, 2009, the President signed into law the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act, Public Law 111-119, amending section 101(2) of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This amendment to the FMLA establishes a special hours of service eligibility requirement for airline flight attendants and flight crew members. Airline flight attendants and flight crew members continue to be subject to the FMLA’s other eligibility requirements.

The amendment provides that an airline flight attendant or flight crew member meets the hours of service requirement if, during the previous 12-month period, he or she (1) has worked or been paid for not less than 60 percent of the applicable total monthly guarantee (or its equivalent), and (2) has worked or been paid for not less than 504 hours, not including personal commute time, or time spent on vacation, medical, or sick leave.