Facility Update October 22nd

Attestation

Just a reminder, you must log on to attest.faa.gov from a government computer or with the appendix attached to the attestation MOU no later than November 8th. You are afforded duty time to do this. Some people are just taking a picture of their card and sending it to their FAA email then saving it to that computer so you can upload it but please ensure you delete that off the computer before you log off. The process is a little confusing but there’s a cheat sheet in each area that has the info too but just in case it’s: 

LOB: ATO 

Service Unit: AJT 

ORG: TWSE1ZSE  

Work Site: Des Moines, WA

It’s also at the very top of CEDAR (there’s a little carrot used to expand the window that you might need to click on). 

Vaccination Incentive

The front office has finally come up with a process to request your TOA for your getting your vaccine. Just show one of the approved proof documents listed in the MOU and they will forward that info to the OM. They will put your name on a spreadsheet that is kept out of public view and is only used as a list for the time and attendance person to input your award. No supervisors should be asking for copies of your proof, seeing it meets the requirements. 

Covid Booster MOU

Today a new MOU dropped to provide guidance for the EA available for Covid boosters and also retroactive EA if you used leave to get a family member a vaccine. The full MOU is HERE but some of the highlights are:

• Up to four (4) hours of duty time to obtain the initial dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and second dose, if part of a two-dose series.

• Up to four (4) hours of excused absence to obtain a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccination.

• Up to four (4) hours of excused absence to accompany a family member to obtain each dose of a COVID-19 vaccination, not to exceed twelve (12) hours per family member.

The following are additional highlights of the MOU:

• BUEs who used leave to obtain a vaccination dose or booster prior to September 9, 2021, may submit a retroactive request for up to four (4) hours excused absence for each dose.

• BUEs who used leave to accompany a family member to obtain a booster on or after July 29, 2021, and prior to the date of this agreement, may submit a retroactive request for up to four (4) hours of excused absence for each dose.

• For a BUE who accompanies a family member to their vaccination, proof includes an email or text verifying the appointment or any other documentation showing that the family member received a vaccination.

• BUEs will be reimbursed for reasonable transportation costs for getting to and from the pre-approved vaccination site to obtain an initial or second dose vaccine.

• BUEs with a medical certificate or medical clearance who are required to observe a 48-hour “Do Not Fly”/do not perform safety-sensitive duties interval after each dose of the vaccine will be afforded two (2) workdays of excused absence after receiving each dose of a COVID-19 vaccination/booster, if otherwise scheduled to work. No adverse reaction is necessary.

If anyone has any questions about this, please let us know and we’ll get the answers to you as quickly as possible.

Amy Sizemore and Drew Stewart

Facility Update October 21st

Collaborative Work Group (CWG)

During the past year and a half, most CWGs have been paused or shelved. We have one that needs to start soon and we are looking for people to help out with it. For many years now, we have used a piece of software that has allowed Flight Data and TMU to automatically forward PIREP GIs to the appropriate sectors without having to forward the data to each sector manually. Long story short but that program is no longer allowed and we need to move to the approved system of PIREP dissemination via ERIDS. The workgroup will be working together to determine the specifics of who is responsible for what data input, etc. This is an excellent way to help shape the way our facility utilizes our equipment that works best for us. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested or if you have any questions, we need to get this going right away.

Reasonable Accommodations

On Tuesday, the national office sent out an email about reasonable accommodations. Just to be clear, this form is not the exemption request, it is just announcing to the FAA of your intent to file an exception as soon as the agreed upon form is released. Here is an excerpt from the national office:

“We have received a number of questions from bargaining unit employees (BUEs) regarding the process to request a legal exception to Executive Order (EO) 14043, which mandates COVID-19 vaccinations for all Federal employees. We are continuing to work through this issue with the FAA. In the interim, we are providing the following guidance:

• BUEs who wish to request a reasonable accommodation (RA) as an exception to the vaccination requirement because of a disability or a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance may do so by submitting the COVID-19 Vaccination Exception for Medical or Religious Reasons Form to their immediate supervisor. The FAA may request supporting documentation.

• If the RA request is approved, the BUE will receive written approval of the accommodation request. The written decision will include the accommodation the Agency has granted and what protocols the BUE must follow.

• If the RA request is denied, the BUE may request reconsideration in writing. The Agency will outline the process to request reconsideration and other available avenues of appeal in its denial letter.”

Amy Sizemore and Drew Stewart

2022 Bidding

The bidATC website is going a little slow/not working at times. The website manager has been notified and it working on it. Thank you for your patience.

Facility Update October 15th

2022 Bidding

We will be starting to bid this Monday the 18th. Just in case you didn’t make it to an MOU briefing this week, natca-zse.com/bid is the website to view all the MOUs and the bidATC video Devin made for us. If you get a second, please log on to bidatc.com/zse to ensure you remember your password and your preferred notification method is up to date. If you have any problems, please let any one of the reps know. 

Attestation and Reasonable Accommodation

We still have not heard about the vetted process to request a reasonable accommodation. If it is very important that you get this done sooner rather than later, you might want to request your exception with the FAA’s process but otherwise continue to be patient and we will definitely forward any information we get to you as soon as we get it. Attestation forms should be filled out on duty time and still must be done on a government computer or on paper and given to your immediate supervisor. 

Employee Express

Here is an email that was sent out today to the FacReps:

“NATCA recently became aware that access to Employee Express was abruptly changed to require the use of an FAA-issued PIV Smartcard on government furnished equipment. This change has limited the ability for bargaining unit employees (BUEs) who are not reporting to a facility/office and do not have access to government furnished equipment to log onto Employee Express. Employee Express is not a FAA system, but the FAA has been advised that additional options for access are forthcoming. NATCA will provide more information about those options as soon as we have it.

In the interim, the Agency has provided the following POCs for BUEs who are on long-term leave or lack access to a government furnished computer and require assistance with matters within Employee Express.

For changes to Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB), Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), and Thrift Saving Plans/Roth, contact the Benefits Operation Center:

·      9-ACE-FAA-BENE@faa.gov

·      (855) 322-2363

 For all other changes (listed below) or for a copy of your Leave and Earnings Statement, contact the following, based on your region:

 ·      Direct Deposit

·      Discretionary Allotment

·      Federal Tax (W4)

·      Financial Allotment

·      Health Savings Allotment

·      Home Address

·      State Tax

·      Earnings and Leave Summary

 Please put the type of request in the subject line.  For example, if you need to change your direct deposit information, put “EEX Direct Deposit Update needed” or if you’re requesting a copy of your Earnings and Leave Statement, put “LES Request” in the subject line.

·      Northwest Mountain: Oklahoma City Shared Services Center (9-AMC-AMH-HR-SSC@faa.gov)”

Additionally, we’ve heard that people have had success with buying a PIV card reader and hooking it up to their home computer.

We hope you have a great weekend!

Amy Sizemore and Drew Stewart

Attestation MOU

*New Attestation MOU Just Released*

Basically this document just defines, elaborates and gives rules for the information put in CEDAR a couple of days ago. HERE is the full MOU but the basics are:

• You must attest your vaccination status either at https://attest.faa.gov (must be on a government computer) or in person via your supervisor with the application on Appendix 1 of this MOU.

• Proof of vaccination will be in one of the following forms:

  • a copy of the record of immunization from a healthcare provider or pharmacy,

  • a copy of the covid-19 vaccination record card,

  • a copy of medical records documenting the vaccination,

  • a copy of immunization records from public health or state immunization information system, or

• a copy of any other official documentation containing required data points. (must have ALL the following):

  • name of the employee

  • type of vaccine administered

  • date(s) of administration

  • The name of the healthcare professional(s) or clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s)

• A copy can be a scanned file or a picture

• You will get duty time to do this 

Reference the exception process, just a couple more things. We know that there are people here at ZSE interested in pursuing this. NATCA is still working with the FAA to fine tune their process to ensure the information given to the FAA is the minimum needed and will be safeguarded. While you are fully within your rights to start this process now, it is important to remember a couple of things. One, the process the FAA released as it stands has not been vetted by NATCA. There is the possibility that you are giving the FAA more information than is necessary and once it is turned in, there is no walking that back. Second, if you pursue an exception, it gets denied, you have to get vaccinated anyway, and it takes you past the November 8th deadline on the Incentive Strategy MOU, you will not be eligible for any of the time off awards. Just some food for thought.

Amy Sizemore and Drew Stewart