JetBlue Faces Accusations of Denying Sick Time to New York Crews

New York City Department of Consumer Affairs files formal charges against hometown carrier.

Although JetBlue may have plenty of fans in their passengers, the airline is finding themselves up against the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) under allegations of violating the city-paid sick leave act. The New York Daily News reports that the airline is facing charges in the city’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

The New York-based carrier is accused of making it increasingly difficult for employees to use sick time for the airline. The alleged deterrents include penalizing employees who have called in sick, threatening termination for using too many sick days and not correctly allocating sick days to working employees. The DCA says that their investigation began in 2015, after JetBlue employees complained to the department about the company’s sick time policies.

Under the city’s paid sick leave laws, employees who work 80 hours in a year may be able to earn 40 hours of guaranteed sick time to care for themselves or a family member. The law covers many workers employed within the city, including part-time employees, on call worker and temporary employees. In addition, those living outside the city with a primary workplace within the city are covered under the paid sick time law.

“There are millions of passengers boarding flights in the city every year,” DCA commissioner Lorelei Salas told the Daily News. “No one wants to get sick because an employee at the check-in counter or their flight attendant had to choose between coming to work sick and facing disciplinary action, or taking care of themselves or their loved ones.”

In a statement to the newspaper, a spokesperson for JetBlue said that their sick time policy “surpasses what the city requires,” and federal law would supersede the DCA claims. If JetBlue is found guilty, the carrier could be forced to compensate fired employees and pay additional restitution.

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