The aim of “Loss of Licence” policy is to lessen the financial impact to an ATCO who has lost his or her licence and may find her/herself without a career and without income. The insurance can never replace a controller’s licence or livelihood but hopefully the funds will at least give the colleague the opportunity of establishing a new career path or business with a minimum amount of economic distress.

SC4 have studied the Loss of Licence Insurances from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Swiss, South Africa and New Zealand. As an example SC4 would like to mention the choice of ATCO’s from New Zealand who have lost his/her licence due to failing the medical examinations or due to not reaching the required level of competence resulting from the natural deterioration due to age.

Example

• Employment elsewhere in the public service with an adjustment allowance being paid to bring the salary up to the level of ATCO’s salary. The payment of the allowance to cease when the salary reaches the equivalent of four times the ATCO’s salary whichever is the soonest or
• Employment elsewhere in the public service at the salary rate for the new position plus lump sum payment equal to four times the ATCO’s salary or
• Leave to retrain for another career while receiving salary at a rate not exceeding his/her ATCO salary until such time as his/her total salary during this period of leave reaches four times the ATCO’s salary or
• A lump sum payment equal to four times the ATCO’s salary.

Furthermore SC4 likes to mention that the ATCO’s in Canada in addition to a disability plan have a retraining and reassignment programme lasting up to two years. During this period the ATCO’s are paid a full salary or a combination of salary and allowances equal to the full salary.

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.

3.1 Protection against Loss of Licence Insurance must be held by all ATCO’s.

3.2  No extra medical examination must be required as ATCOs undergo regular medical checks according to ICAO regulations.

3.3  The insurance must not be able to impose special conditions or exclusions for any individual members.

3.4  Exclusion for already existing medical problems must not be allowed.

3.5  The meaning of bodily injury and illness must be clearly defined.

3.6  The premium must be paid by the employer.

3.7  Any payment under the policy must be in addition to any other benefits payable (i.e. pension, sick leave).

3.8  The sum payable for permanent loss of licence must be at least equal to the amount of five years of ATCO’s income.

3.9  The sum must be paid even if the ATCO continues to work with the same employer in a position outside ATS.

3.10  Should the controller re-instated with the same employer at a salary less than that of a controller some provision must exist for this loss of income.

3.11  Claims procedure must be set out clearly in the policy.

3.12  Cancellation of Loss of Licence benefit must be payable upon provision of due written proof or loss.

3.13  The policy must have no exclusions other than self-injury and war.

Standing Committee 4 likes to emphasize that the policy of loss of licence should be written without ambiguities.

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