The NEB will designate a representative to ensure fair and equitable treatment by flight surgeons across the FAA Service Areas within 180 days of the conclusion of this convention. Among the concerns that this representative should address and monitor are:

• Decisions to remove members from safety-related duties, while other members with like conditions or medications are cleared to work by a different flight surgeon
•  Requests for additional medical data and appointments that come at the member’s expense
• Criteria for permitting special dispensations
• riteria for returning to safety related duties
• Timelines for determinations to return to safety related duties
• Addressing issues in a timely manner as the member waits to return to safety-related duties

This representative should gather data on the differences between the service areas and work with the FAA to reduce disparate treatment. Within one year of their appointment, the representative will report on their findings to the membership through the NATCA website and email distribution.

Rationale: The flight surgeons each seem to have their own ideas about what should DQ a member from safety related duties, and how they should treat it. It’s frustrating when a mild condition takes you from doing the job you love, while another member with a similar condition that has been reported to the flight surgeon is still able to work. There is seemingly no standard, or the standards are fluid enough to be meaningless and unfair. This should be remedied.