Throughout their careers, air traffic controllers are exposed to the constant risk of losing their licence and/or qualifications on grounds of medical or technical incapacity.
To avoid the risk of loss of licence and/or qualifications, air traffic controllers should be provided with adequate measures at the employer’s expense such as the availability of appropriate medical services, physical fitness program, training facilities and refresher training to assist the Air Traffic Controller in maintaining the required health and skill standards.
Since the number of suitable and meaningful posts for re-employing the Air Traffic Controller within the civil service is rather limited in view of their specialized backgrounds, training and experience, employers should provide loss-of-licence compensation schemes and second career programs for air traffic controllers.
Where ATC is run by a private company, such establishment is even more important since re-employment possibilities are thus even more difficult to obtain.
IFATCA Policy is:In the event of loss on medical grounds of a licence which includes medical standards, such measures should also include provision for income protection such as adequate disability insurance and retirement or early retirement pension. Opportunities for re-training and re-deployment, with compensation for loss of income, should also be available to Air Traffic Controllers who lose their licence. The following list of minimum items should be taken into consideration when MA’s are negotiating a Loss of Licence insurance. “Insurance” is a generic term which encompasses all forms of ATC loss of licence compensation programmes. a) Protection against Loss of Licence Insurance shall be held by all ATCO’s. b) No extra medical examination shall be required as ATCO’s undergo regular medical checks according to ICAO regulations. c) The insurer shall not be able to impose special conditions or exclusions for any individual members. d) Exclusion for already existing medical problems shall not be allowed. e) The meaning of bodily injury and illness shall be clearly defined. f) The premium shall be paid by the employer. g) Any payment under the policy shall be in addition to any other benefits payable (i.e. pension, sick leave). h) The sum payable for permanent loss of licence shall be at least equal to the amount of five years of ATCO’s income. i) The sum shall be paid even if the ATCO continues to work with the same employer in a position outside ATS. j) Should the controller be re-instated with the same employer at a salary less than that of a controller, some provision shall exist for this loss of income. k) Claims procedure shall be set out clearly in the policy. l) Cancellation of Loss of Licence benefit shall be payable upon provision of due written proof of loss. m) The policy shall have no exclusions other than self-injury and war. |
| See: WP 8 – Athens 1985, WP 37 – Frankfurt 1989, Resolution C54 – WP 79 – Virtual 2022
See also: WP 49 – Brussels 1979, WP 55 – Split 1983 |
Last Update: August 12, 2022