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When This Pilot Quit Her Job, Her Employer Billed Her $20,000

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Kate Fredericks quit her job flying for the cargo airline Ameriflight in late November 2021, six and a half months into her stint as a pilot based out of Puerto Rico. It was the most expensive resignation she could imagine. (www.huffpost.com) और अधिक...

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WkndFlyr
WkndFlyr 35
She agreed to her situation, the airline provided her with the training, and now instead of fulfilling the arrangement, she's using that training to work for another company. Her lawsuit is without merit, she signed a contract. The terms of her repayment are reasonable. Is she expecting free training and no obligations?
So, her lawsuit could mean that the airlines change the model, so they provide a loan, with a forgiveness program for as long as the employee is employed by them, and if they quit, they will be responsible for the remainder. It's the same deal in the end.
WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 14
The airline industry is not the only industry where people are given training paid for by the company with the requirement of having to work X number of years for the company to get their return of investment in said training. She agreed to such requirements, she either fulfils said requirements or pays the company back for it.
ewrcap
David Beattie 28
Just like student loans. You sign the contract, you are obligated to complete it. I have ZERO sympathy for this person.
srobak
srobak 1
well - you know how that is heading now, too.
alsise2
Donald Parsons 22
“People need to be free to make their own choices" - what choice did she not feel was free at the time she signed? When you sign a document, you should have FULLY UNDERSTOOD what you were signing up for. Economies change from year to year and sometimes, day to day. I've never understood people who sign something then complain about it later when it no longer satisfies them. Get one of those "better paying jobs", pay the training fee back, stop whining and get on with life. Chalk it up to another life lesson learned.
Bursk
Randall Bursk 10
I agree with the comments already posted. She had freedom of choice, didn’t honor the contract. Ameriflight is protecting its future. Airlines invest up to 200,000 dollars for initial training with new hires. Shortage of pilots will swing requirements in favor of applicants now. At least until next downturn. Good flights.
yavapaires
Gary Kendall 31
Seems like, the way I read this article, Ms. Fredrick knew going in what was required of her. Honor your obligation. Or is this another grab the benefit and then leave situation? I guess the work ethic I was taught is no longer valid.
jeffinsydney
jeff slack 19
Your work ethic is valid; it is today's thought processes or lack of that is invalid.
I am nearly 70 and work 45 hours per week, (as a retiree) and daily I am shocked by the younger employees' view of work, ethics and the integrity one needs to have a good, meaningful and productive life.
godutch
godutch 41
What a crybaby... I don't blame Ameriflight. It's sad that small airlines put extensive time and money into training pilots then see them immediately quit, or go off to other airlines immediately??? Nope... The article tries to make Ameriflight the bad guy, yet, with the pilot shortages, she'll eventually go to another airline and $20,000 would be like 2 or 3 paychecks for 1st officers. I hope she loses. She signed the contract. Reminds me of today's youth getting federal student loans and expecting the government to give them a pass... Sad...
dnorthern
dnorthern 20
“ The article tries to make Ameriflight the bad guy…”

It is huffpost. Their writers consistently debase what little credibility remains in journalism.
Nooge
Nooge 1
p3dave
David Mitchell 8
As I have signed a few of these myself and repaid one because I left for a better job l(as I am sure this pilot did). Generally these are promisary notes and in my experience, a lot of young pilots walked away from them and never paid, they are hard to enforce. The title to me means everything, PROMISE. I gave a promise when I signed it and that means something to me. She stated she heard of debt collectors and so began a payment plan, nothing about her promise, her bond, her character.

By the way, if you are not aware of today's market for pilots, she might have gone to a regional where they are giving 6 figure bonuses and salaries to new hires (beats the old $14 a flight hour) or she could have gone right to a major or wantabe major. Young friend who was hired by Delta last year was just awarded wide body Captain, probably at least 2 bills a year for a first year hire!

So, don't cry for her, she left for the big pay, walked out on her employer (which is her right) and now is whining because she doesn't want to honor her promise, her committment, which says a lot about her character.

There should be a trophy involved.
p3dave
David Mitchell 1
I noticed some comments about what the training might have cost. Well, we know (according to the article) that she was paid $12.55 an hour and that it took two months. Let's say that is eight 40 hour weeks, so $4,016. A google search on the Beech 1900 operating costs shows $2,317.54 per hour. Checking out a couple of providers, they indicate around 12 hours of training, so that would be another $27,816 We are north of $30,000 now. Of course you get go get a type rating at FSI for $15,000 ish? Someone mentioned that Ameriflight isn't requiring a training agreement now so why should the lold pilots have to pay. Novel though. For decades Southwest required you to go pay for a 737 type rating before you could apply. I don't think they do now, maybe several thousand pilots should get their money back????
daetchevtex
David Thompson 7
Agree with all of the previous comments regarding honoring an obligation. I don't know all of the facts, but I would bet that no one forced her to sign the contract. Not quite the same situation, but think about the military. Don't know the requirement now, but when I joined, I had a four year obligation after completing flight school. The military trained you; they expected you to fulfil that obligation.
Nooge
Nooge 1
Thank you for your service
emlouise
Em Fairley 1
Air Force Academy is 5 year minimum. Not sure how athletic post-grad transfers get around that. Or indeed, pro players who are drafted, but they could refund from their signing bonus/ salary
Debmaynard
Deb Maynard 6
"a bunch of white-grievance-riddled old guys" really??? I don't have a penis and am not an old white guy! Why bring race into this with slurs. I am a female pilot with a whole lot more than 1,700 hours of flight time. I know the cost of training and a $20,000.00 bill is nothing in this day and age. I am an assistant to a ground school instructor and know what is expected and what the value of training is. I also understand what commitment is. You are a person of your word or not. Your signature means something or not. 18 months is nothing someone can't survive and find educational. Moving on to another company in the wake of pilot shortage for more money, better routes, better benefits is okay as long as you fulfill your obligations made freely and with knowledge of the commitments you make. TRAP? Is that how our men and women feel in the military when they receive thousands or millions of dollars of valuable training that they can eventually apply to civilian life? I think not. If they don't fulfill their obligation to their service branch, they have to pay it back. How is her case any less applicable?
mbrews
mbrews 18
According to the article, the pilot lives in Massachusetts, and took a position based in Puerto Rico. Could this be a simple case of "buyers remorse" after 6 months into the 18 month contract ?
N107Sugar
N107Sugar 3
If she found the job a poor choice, then prepare to pay Ameriflight the money you legally agreed to. I once took a job the employer paid for my relocation. I agreed to staying for 2 years or repay the moving expenses. Job sucked and I repaid the move
money. This young lady needs to grow up.
LarryDoench
Larry Doench 5
A contract is a contract. If I buy an airline ticket for X, and later on the price drops to X- I don't get to pay the new amount. In the original contract she signed it most likely specified what her payback would be and thus it would only be of curiosity interest to know what the actual training cost was... including having now to hire a replacement.
dbarnesmsn
dbarnesmsn 4
Aww, the memories of the DR Flight Computer... I still have mine from 45 years ago.
silcalifano
silverio califano 4
Sounds kind of like the student loan program. Read the paperwork or contract!
iflyrjs
terry gersdorf 4
She screwed her airline chances once her new perspective airline finds out they'll pass her by.... We always need more waitresses.....
Randman80
Ch Mi 8
She is honoring her obligation. She is paying her debt. Her position is that it is wrong to put lead handcuffs on pilots. If she was refusing to pay, that would be another thing. She saw firsthand the poor position such an agreement puts pilots in. Glad I stuck with flight instruction for the last 50 years. The world of commercial flying wasn’t for me. I’m thankful for those who chose it and loved it.
withersfamily
Lee Withers 8
The lady has created her own problem, but I would like to know the dollar vale of the training. It sounds an awful lot like on the job training if she is actually in a work situation. Sitting down for a class or flying specifically to be trained that is training, delivering cargo is not.
dodger4
dodger4 3
As a former chief pilot, I have absolutely no sympathy with someone who makes a commitment with a company to amortize the cost of training, then dumps them for some trivial reason, leaving them hanging for the cost of training a replacement. They get trained on a type then bye-bye for a job paying slightly more or a more amenable schedule.

Training new pilots on heavy & complex equipment is expensive. She ought to be grateful it wasn't a 2-year deal as most are/used to be in Canada.

An alternative to billing the pilot is to bill the pro-rated outstanding cost to the new company - regardless of whether she's flying the same type.

When you enter into a training bond, think it through BEFORE you sign, or rethink the fickle reasons you are quitting for.
johntaylor571
John Taylor 3
Sounds fair to me. She agreed to work for a certain duration after the company paid for her flight training. Pretty simple. But of course Huffpo makes her out to be the victim.
87vr6
Ron Wroblewski 5
How is this even news?

"Ameriflight told Fredericks she owed the company $20,000 for the cost of her training since she was leaving before working for 18 months. Fredericks had signed an agreement to those terms when she was hired, so she wasn’t surprised the company expected her to pay up."


Headline should be "company did what it said it would do and employee expected it". BREAKING NEWS!!

Boone737
Boone737 8
Next thing you know, the administration is going to want us to pay for her student loans
wd73383
WD Rseven 2
Everyone wants a handout.
manarii
Dr Stephen Vadas 2
You signed the contract. Did you read it? You will not likely win any concessions in court other than paying for your attorney - and maybe even their attorney! Next time, take the contract to your attorney and have him/her explain it to you - BEFORE SIGNING.
strickerje
strickerje 2
Typical clickbait headline from HuffPo. At least the comments were sensible - I'm surprised they still allow commenting on their articles.
thineprof
Gregory Halvorson 2
Trouble is, these damned cargo airlines expect their pilots to fly poorly maintained airplanes, often over gross weight while pushing IFR limitations out the window. I flew for one of those shitty outfits in 1997 and let them know at the end of my one year contract I was going to quit. So, two weeks before my contract was up, they fired me, just to make me look bad to future employers. And that is just what janky turboprop operators do. Oh, and 2 months after my leaving, the airplane I was flying crashed while landing at KMSO. Shitty piloting technique. Bwahahahaha. Serves em right.
nathansthepilot
Nathan Cox 1
Airline pilot here: Yes, she signed the contract. I happened to work for “Amflight” in the past. She signed the ci tract and she’s obligated to fulfill it, or pay the difference her early departure cost the airline. If she found greener pasture, she can afford to pay the cost to leave early. Simple equation to an objective observer. She benefited Ameriflight’s employment and she benefited when she left. It could have be a win win, but she made it a lose lose. Only the lawyers win.
DTWND
Dale Nuss 1
I can understand both sides. She wanted the Part 135 training (without having to pay for it) during a time when jobs were scarce and opportunities were few. Those jobs that were available were highly competitive.

The company wanted qualified applicants and wanted to keep them after the company paid for training. On the job training is still training.

It’s a situation where both sides have a valid argument. If I was on the jury in the case, I think I would side with the company. She signed an agreement, the company upheld their side by providing training, she reneged on the contract by not staying for the full 18 months. The point about the later contracts not having the ‘trap’ clause to me is invalid. The hiring environment and the job market has changed and is different than when she started. I feel it boils down to “Life’s not fair.”
Tcc1999
Timothy Boucher 1
Oh Please. You sign a contract and receive training (not for free but contingent on fulfilling the terms of your contract, which is consideration in legal, terms). I have less than zero sympathy. When I resigned from a Service Academy, I was required to enlist for a four year commitment in the Naval Reserve. We all have these kind of stories. So to this individual the only advice I might offer is, “Grow up and accept the consequences of your actions”. We all have and you’re no exception.
fireftr
Dale Ballok 1
She not only is responsible to honor the guidelines of the agreement she signed, but her timing is impeccably bad. She’s doing this in a time when employers are doing anything to get people to work for them.
nathansthepilot
Nathan Cox 1
Airline pilot here: Yes, she signed the contract. I happened to work for “Amflight” in the past. She signed the ci tract and she’s obligated to fulfill it, or pay the difference her early departure cost the airline. If she found greener pasture, she can afford to pay the cost to leave early. Simple equation to an objective observer. She benefited Ameriflight’s employment and she benefited when she left. It could have be a win win, but she made it a lose lose.
tnbriggs
Terry Briggs -7
More disdainful comments by a bunch of white-grievance-riddled old guys who somehow think they have done everything on their own. Let's face it: Ameriflight is trying to take advantage of pilots desperate for work and the pilots are trying to take advantage of better opportunities; all parties have some blame. It's just the way capitalism is.
johntaylor571
John Taylor 3
OK commie. Let's see how this would have played out in any other government type of system.
srobak
srobak 2
Clearly you have been smoking too much of your own product.
ltullos
Larry Tullos 1
Mostly agree with this. If training is going to be required as a condition of employment, then it should be mandatory to itemize what it entails and costs. The fact that she requested this (even after signing the contract) and they refused to provide it as well as discontinuing this requirement indicates some culpability on their part. To me, this is a case that needs an arbitrator to arrive at a fair settlement rather than a class action suit.

However, reform is needed to require every employer to fully disclose the content and benefits as well as the cost of training if it is part of the contract so that candidate has information to determine if it is FMV or exploitive.
mikeosmers
Michael Osmers 1
Well there’s also another issue. From a reading of the piece what I got was the actual complaint is new hires do not have this training cost so the question is why should a current pilot be held to it? Same work for same pay. I just checked Ameriflight’s website and there is no mention of employee paid training costs. Back in the day we suffered under the infamous ’B’ scale at the majors and similar schemes as this at some of the commuters, all of which was eventually abolished. Not sure this is any different so I for one am curious how it all pans out.
ltullos
Larry Tullos 1
Mostly agree with this. If training is going to be required as a condition of employment, then it should be mandatory to itemize what it entails and costs. The fact that she requested this (even after signing the contract) and they refused to provide it as well as discontinuing this requirement indicates some culpability on their part. To me, this is a case that needs an arbitrader to arrive at a fair settlement rather than a class action suit.

However, reform is needed to require every employer to fully disclose the content and benefits as well as the cost of training if it is part of the contract so that candidate has information to determine if it is FMV or exploitive.
usrepeaters
Rob Palmer -1
Years ago I fell in love with a beautiful Dutch girl from Iowa while attending university in Washington. One of the things that made her attractive to me was the fact that her older brother was put thru Harvard Business School by his employer, Standard Oil Corp. How does one achieve that?
fireftr
Dale Ballok 1
Gotta work for the right company!

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