COMPANY POLICY REFERENCE EXCESSIVE SICK LEAVE.

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WE ALL KNOW YOU SHOULDN'T FLY WITH A PHYSICAL DEFICIENCY. IT IS IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST IF YOU ADHERE TO THAT RULE--OR IS IT? THERE IS AT LEAST 1 MAJOR ACR THAT HAS CREATED A SET OF RULES FOR THEIR PLTS THAT PUTS A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE ON THEIR PLTS TO FLY WHEN NOT PHYSICALLY 'WHOLE.' THE QUESTION BECOMES NOT 'AM I IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION?'; BUT 'CAN I MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY?' HOW CAN THIS BE? WELL; THE COMPANY IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY PENALTY IF A PLT FLIES WHEN PHYSICALLY DEFICIENT; ONLY THE PLT IS PENALIZED. WELL; MY COMPANY HAS A POLICY THAT CAN LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF PAY AND POSSIBLY TERMINATION IF ONE CALLS IN SICK TOO OFTEN OR OTHERWISE HAS AN 'OCCURRENCE.' GENERALLY 6 OCCURRENCES IN 18 MONTHS WILL BE CAUSE FOR TERMINATION. LOSS OF PAY WILL START WITH THE FOURTH OCCURRENCE. I BELIEVE I HAVE A VERY GOOD RECORD WITH MY COMPANY; YET IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS I HAVE: 1) RECEIVED AN OCCURRENCE FOR REFUSING TO FLY ALL NIGHT AFTER BEING UP ALL DAY (ON MY DAY OFF); 2) RECEIVED AN OCCURRENCE FOR HAVING A MEDICAL PROB THAT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ATTN WHICH CAUSED ME TO BE UNABLE TO FLY AN ASSIGNED TRIP; AND 3) RECEIVED AN OCCURRENCE FOR CALLING IN SICK WITH A COLD. NOW MY NEXT OCCURRENCE WILL COST ME PAY; AND 3 MORE IN 14 MONTHS WILL BE CAUSE FOR TERMINATION. TELL ME HOW DO I NOT GET SICK? AS I GOT OLDER I'VE NOTICED I AM SUBJECT TO MORE AILMENTS. THE AVERAGE PERSON GETS 2 COLDS A YEAR--SO I'M AVERAGE. JUST WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? UPHOLD THE LAW AND LOSE MY JOB? OR; BEND THE LAW; TAKE A CHANCE AND FLY EVEN THOUGHT IT MAY BE IMPROPER? AS IT STANDS NOW; THE PRESSURE ON THE PLT TO FLY IS ENORMOUS. THE FEEDBACK I'VE HAD ON THIS ISSUE IS 'IF I CAN WALK; I CAN FLY--I'M NOT GOING TO LOSE MY JOB.' PERHAPS IF THE PENALTY FOR SCHEDULING A SICK PLT TO FLY WERE AS PUNITIVE TO THE COMPANY (IN RELATIVE TERMS) AS TO THE PLT; THIS ABUSE WOULD END AND WE WOULD HAVE A SAFER AND HEALTHIER COCKPIT.