Delta Pilots Mutual Aid

Frequently Asked Questions

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Quick Facts – Dispelling Misconceptions

  • You have 730 days of benefits available in your career. One event cannot exceed 365 days; however, you can file for DPMA benefits more than twice in your career.
  • DPMA benefits are counted by the day, not by the month. For example, if you begin disability (SLOA) on 7/30, two days will be deducted from your lifetime benefit amount for July.
  • “I was only sick for one trip, I didn’t go on disability.” You are still eligible to file for DPMA benefits for the days you were sick without sick leave if you submit a completed DPMA Disability Claim Form signed by a doctor, even if you do not file for Delta Disability through Harvey Watt.
  • I didn’t receive a 1099 from DPMA – DPMA does not issue an IRS W-2 or 1099 for disability benefit payments. DPMA benefits are not taxable and DPMA dues are not tax-deductible under IRS Code section 501(c)(9).

Disability Pay:

What am I Paid while on Disability?

Delta benefits are calculated at 50% of your FAE and begin on your SLOA date. Normal deductions including taxes and healthcare premiums will be deducted from this check.

Enhanced Disability is 50% of your hourly rate and begins on your SLOA date.

DPMA benefits are 25% of your FAE and begins when your Enhanced Disability is exhausted or on your SLOA date if you do not have any Enhanced Disability

When am I paid on Disability?

Short-term disability pays on the 15th and last day of the month.

Long-term disability pays on the last day of the month.

Enhanced Disability pays with your Delta disability.

DPMA pays on the 18th of the month for the days you were out in the previous month.

Note:  If you selected direct deposit, your bank may release your payment early; however, the 18th is the intended payment date.

How am I paid?

DPMA benefits can be direct deposited into your financial institution.

Note:  DPMA benefits are tax-free – you will not receive a 1099 or W-2.

What is offset from my disability pay?

DPMA does not offset DPMA disability benefits.

Delta disability benefits will be offset by any Workers Comp or State Disability benefits you are eligible to receive, or any retirement benefits you actually receive.

What deductions are taken from my disability pay?

DPMA does not take any deductions from DPMA disability benefits.

The only deductions allowed from Delta disability checks are

Federal and state taxes;

Healthcare premiums and FSA contributions;

Delta Pilot 401(k) plan contributions; and

Optional insurance products

Note:  ALPA and DPMA dues are not assessed and will not be deducted from your disability benefits.

Do I continue to receive my company contribution to my Delta 401(K) Retirement Plan and the MBCBP?

You will receive the company contributions on the same basis as a pilot on active payroll status but using as earnings the amount of the disability benefit multiplied by two in accordance with PWA Section 26C3.

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Enhanced Disability:

What is Enhanced Disability?

Enhanced Disability hours are earned at the end of each sick leave year and accrued in a bank. (PWA Section 26K5)

Following the completion of each sick leave year, a pilot who uses less than 80 sick leave hours will be credited 50% of 80 hours minus the number of hours used.

Max credit per sick leave year is 40 hours.

How do I know how many Enhanced Disability hours I have?

Your Enhanced Disability bank is found on the DeltaNet under Self-Service.

Note: This amount is updated yearly. Amounts used during the sick leave year are not deducted until the beginning of the next sick leave year.

When do I get my Enhanced Disability pay?

Enhanced Disability is paid automatically once you are approved by Harvey Watt for Short-Term Disability. This pay will be included in your Delta disability check.

Enhanced Disability is paid at a rate of 80 hours/month. A daily rate is applied for partial months (80 hours /# days in the month).

How does Enhanced Disability effect my DPMA disability benefit?

DPMA benefits will begin at the exhaustion of your Enhanced Disability benefit.

State Disability Benefits (Pilots BASED in CA/NY/WA):

California State Disability Benefits

For Pilots based in California: File a claim for DI benefits using SDI Online (CA residents only) or by mail at https://edd.ca.gov.

To file online you must have a CA drivers license; otherwise, submit a paper claim form that can be obtained from the LAX CP Office or requested by mail from the Employment Development Department (EDD).

For online filing your physician/practitioner will need to certify your disability by completing the Physician/Practitioner Certification portion of the online application.

Claims cannot be submitted any earlier than the 9th day from the event date and no later than 49 days after the event date otherwise it’s considered late, and you may lose benefits.

Please contact the EDD at 800-480-3287 for additional questions.

New York State Disability Benefits

For Pilots based in New York: Please contact MetLife at 1-800-243-8786 to initiate your state disability claim.

Washington State Disability Benefits

For Pilots based in Washington: The Washington State’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Application and submission process is online. You can apply for Medical Leave benefits by creating an account and applying at https://paidleave.wa.gov. The treating healthcare physician is required to sign the medical certification form.

For questions contact 833-717-2273 or refer to https://paidleave@esd.wa.gov

Sick Leave Bank:

When do I receive my new sick leave allotment?

The Sick Leave Bank is June 1 – May 31.

Your bank does not renew until you report for duty (a trip, reserve day or training day).

If you are out sick or on SLOA and the new sick leave year begins, your new allotment of sick will NOT renew until you return to active payroll status and complete all required training to return to flight duty, including OE.

Pilots returning from SLOA prior to the start of the new sick leave year may transfer up to 50 hours sick time from the subsequent sick leave year by notifying their Chief Pilot in writing within 30 days of their return to active payroll status.

Note:  The transferred sick leave credit hours will be deducted from and will not carry over into the allotment for the subsequent sick leave year.

Note:  Pilots that do not have any sick time remaining upon returning from SLOA are eligible to file for DPMA benefits if a DPMA Disability Claim Form is signed by their doctor and submitted to DPMA.

Return to Work:

What do I need to do to return to work?

If you have been out less than 120 days, call in well to Pilot Assist.

If you have been out >120 days from their 1st day sick need to complete a Medical Review through Dr. Van. For information regarding this process, refer to the Pilot Medical Team Services page on the DLNet (Company (click View All) / Delta Medical Team / Pilot Health Assistance (under Scope of Services) or contact them at MedicalTeam@delta.com or (404) 715-2324.

FAA Leave:

What is FAA Leave?

FAA Leave is a contractual benefit that allows you to remain on active payroll without using additional sick leave while you wait for the FAA to review your case.

You are eligible to receive up to 60 days of FAA leave. If you do not receive your FAA review prior to exhausting FAA leave, you will transition back to Sick Leave/Disability.

For additional information, see PWA 13K or the FAA Leave section on the DLNet (My Division/Admin/Pilot Leaves, FAA Leave).

How do I apply for FAA Leave?

To apply for FAA leave, you must have submitted your application to the FAA for review and have at least 15 days of sick leave remaining.

Requests for FAA leave are sumbitted through the DHS (See Delta Medical Team/Scope of Services/Pilot Health Assistance on the DLNet) or contact them at medicalteam@delta.com or (404) 715-2324

Vacation:

What happens to by bid vacation?

Normally, previously awarded vacation weeks will not be moved out of your sick leave period. Per the PWA, a pilot who is incapacitated, immobile, and confined to a hospital or his home immediately prior to or while on vacation may be placed on sick leave in lieu of vacation provided a written request to the Senior Vice President – Flight Operations, and a doctor’s certificate supporting such incapacitation, immobilization, and confinement is submitted.

  • Once you begin disability, you can no longer take vacation. Your vacation hours will remain in the bank until you return to active status.
  • Once back on active status, you can rebid and use any remaining vacations. If you are on TD or LTD at the end of March, and have any unused vacation time, the remaining balance will be paid on April 15th.

Pass Travel and Jumpseat:

Can I use the jump seat on sick/disability?

While on disability a pilot is not eligible for jumpseat privileges. Contact the Pilot Assist or Chief Pilot Office for further information.

Can I use my non-rev pass benefits on sick leave/disability?

While on sick leave a pilot is ineligible for Pass Travel. Under certain circumstances, the Chief Pilot Office can authorize travel on a case-by-case basis. Other people listed under your PPR are still eligible for unrestricted pass travel.

Once you are approved for TD, you are eligible for active employee pass travel privileges.

After you transition to LTD, your travel privilege is determined by your age and years of service. All travel is S3B priority. (See Delta Pilots Disability Benefits Handbook on DeltaNet under Pilot Leaves page for details.)

Delta Healthcare Benefits:

What happens to my healthcare benefits and premiums while on disability?

Benefits continue and benefit coverage in subsequent years will be available in accordance with PWA Sections 25B and 25H.

If your disability payment covers your Delta healthcare and insurance premiums, then they will be deducted from that payment. Otherwise, you will receive an invoice (“Direct Bill”) from the Employee Service Center (ESC) and you should mail your payment to the address provided on the invoice.

How do I enroll for benefits if I’m on disability during open enrollment?

If your status changes after the annual open enrollment/confirmation period for benefit elections (your sick leave ends and you move from active to inactive status (SLOA) after open enrollment ends) and prior to the beginning of the next calendar year, your active election is voided.

You should receive new medical insurance enrollment information (contact the ESC if none is received) from which to make your elections for the following year.

The new package will also specify a date on which your elections become effective in the next calendar year. In most cases, unless options in which you are enrolled are changed, you continue with your current year elections until the new effective date.

To obtain the most current status of coverage during this time, call the ESC for all enrollment and eligibility confirmations.

Can I use my FSA on disability?

If you are participating in the Healthcare FSA and/or Dependent Care FSA when your status changes to SLOA and you begin receiving disability benefits, you will be given a benefit enrollment opportunity to continue to have pre-tax contributions to your Healthcare FSA and/or Dependent Care FSA deducted from your disability pay.

If you had an FSA account in effect at that time of your disability, you can submit claims for eligible expenses incurred before the date you transitioned to TD.

If you do not expend all of your FSA funds prior to TD and you do not return to the payroll prior to the year ending, you will lose the remainder of the funds in your FSA. Contact the ESC for more information.

Full Service Bank:

What if I have a negative bank when I go out on disability?

If you have a negative balance in your full service bank, that amount will be deducted from your last active paycheck.

Contact Flight Pay to verify your last paycheck amount and the ESC if you need to make alternative arrangements for your premium payments.

Acronyms/Terms

  • Event Date / First Day Sick: This is the day you called in sick for your first duty period (trip, reserve day, or training period).
  • SLOA/SLED: Sick Leave of Absence – This is the day you exhaust sick leave and transition to disability.
  • Temporary Disability (TD): Temporary Disability begins the day you call in sick and runs concurrently in the background. TD benefits begin when you exhaust your sick leave.
  • Enhanced Disability Benefit: A supplement disability benefit based on the number of sick leave hours used in previous sick leave years. This is paid by Delta concurrently with TD prior to DPMA.
  • Final Average Earnings (FAE): Highest 12 consecutive months out of the previous 36 months of active status.
  • DHS: Director of Health Services (Dr. Van)
  • PRT: Pilot Resource Team: DPMA pilot volunteers who have detailed and specific knowledge about the disability process, specific disabilities, return to work, and state disability.