Boeing Decides Not To Trim Nonunion Sick-Leave Plan

Some nonunion Boeing employees in the area will retain their sick-leave banking plan under a program to go into effect in January, a reversal from cuts that were being considered as the aerospace company streamlines its benefits package.

Boeing is standardizing benefits for all nonunion employees, including those who joined the jet maker when it purchased Rockwell Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas.

The personal time-off plan allows employees to bank 50 percent of unused sick leave into an account that can be used if they deplete allotted sick leave in a single year, similar to what is allowed at Boeing now. At retirement, cash representing half the hours remaining in the account will be paid out to retirees or beneficiaries.

McDonnell Douglas workers will begin accruals into the account next year to replace a program they had.

Vacation policies also are being upgraded. Jim Dagnon, senior vice president, said some employees may get more vacation under the plan, which gives credits every pay period rather than annual awards on the anniversary of an employee's hiring date. Improved company-paid disability insurance also will be available under the new plan.

New requirements for all nonunion employees to co-pay medical premiums have drawn heavy criticism, but they're still part of the program that goes into effect next year. Co-payments were standard for nonunion employees at McDonnell Douglas and Rockwell but did not exist at pre-merger Boeing.

Company demands for such payments by unionized workers led to the 1995 Machinists' strike, and the co-payment provision for nonunion workers has union members concerned. Their contract expires late next year.

Polly Lane's phone message number is 206-464-2149. Her e-mail address is: plane@seattletimes.com