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New Parent Resources

American is committed to supporting our team members and the people who matter most to them. We’re pleased to offer these programs for team members seeking to grow their families.

Post-Pregnancy Maternity Short-Term Disability Plan

New mothers need time to recover after delivering a baby. For most, that means time away from work. While you’re away, American’s Maternity Disability Plan protects your income so you can focus more on what matters most, and less on finances.

Eligibility

U.S.-based mainline team members

Benefit

The Maternity Disability Plan provides up to 10 weeks of taxable disability pay with medical substantiation at 100% of your base salary (total pay excluding overtime, profit sharing, commissions, bonuses and incentive pay). The benefit is paid by MetLife.

These benefits are also available in the unfortunate event of a loss of pregnancy.

Process

Apply by calling MetLife at 888-533-6287 up to 60 days prior to your due date or anticipated delivery date to facilitate a smooth transition and minimize delays in receiving disability pay. Once your new baby arrives, notify MetLife, and you will begin to receive disability payments on a weekly basis. After delivery, American covers up to 10 weeks of your pay at 100% during your recovery through its Post-Pregnancy Maternity Short-Term Disability (MSTD) Plan. MSTD covers your pay for six to eight weeks, depending on the type of delivery (vaginal delivery is 6 weeks; cesarean delivery is 8 weeks). Your paid disability can be extended up to 10 weeks based on the information provided by your healthcare provider. About a week before the conclusion of your participation in the Maternity Disability Plan, inform your supervisor of your intended return to work date, and submit a completed Return to Work form to the Absence and Return Center (ARC).

Other

American is proud to support new mothers by funding the Maternity Disability Plan. U.S.-based team members can begin taking advantage of this benefit after 12 months of working at American as a full-time or part-time team member, even if you are on an approved leave of absence (except educational leave of absences). While participating in the Maternity Disability Plan, you remain eligible for other health and welfare benefits and travel. A leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), to the extent available, will be applied concurrently during the disability period. MetLife will coordinate Maternity Disability Plan payments with benefits provided by other American-sponsored short-term disability plans and any state or local entities that offer disability payments to ensure you are receiving 100% of your base salary.

For more information or to apply for the Maternity Disability Plan benefits, call MetLife at 888-533-6287.

You can review the policy or access the Post-Pregnancy Maternity Disability Form for more information.

Employee Assistance Program

Take advantage of your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for ideas, solutions and materials to help with life’s everyday challenges, including valuable resources for expecting and new parents. Your EAP can help you find adoption, counseling and childcare services near you, and you can even request a Pregnancy CareKit or New Baby CareKit.

Call 833-721-2322 or visit the EAP page to learn more.

Adoption and Surrogacy Program

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, we enhanced our adoption benefit by increasing the lifetime maximum from $8,000 to $30,000 and expanded the benefit to also include surrogacy expenses. Additionally, any previous reimbursements for adoption will be applied toward this new, higher benefit.

Eligibility

U.S-based mainline team members who meet all of the following requirements as of the date the adoption or surrogacy is finalized:

  • The team member is an active U.S.-based full-time or part-time mainline team member.
  • The team member has accrued 12 months of continuous service in the 12-month period immediately preceding the date the adoption or surrogacy is legally finalized.
  • The team member is active or on an approved leave of absence (except for an educational leave of absence).
  • The adoption or surrogacy is legally finalized on or after Jan. 1, 2024.
  • The team member intends to become the legal parent of the child adopted or of the child born through a U.S.-based surrogate.

Benefits

The adoption and surrogacy program provides a combined lifetime reimbursement of up to $30,000 for qualified adoption and surrogacy expenses during your employment with American. Click below for more details.

Adoption

For a qualified adoption, team members will continue to receive round-trip tickets on American flights for the team member and another family member (who is D2 – or D2P-eligible), if needed, to pick up a qualified adoptee (see below) who does not reside in your nearby community. American will provide additional one-way tickets to bring your new family member(s) home.

Qualified adoptee

Any child who is under the age of 18 or is age 18 or older and incapable of self-care due to a mental or physical disability at the time the adoption is finalized.

Qualified adoption expenses

  • Reasonable and necessary adoption fees (including home-study fees), fees charged to identify children for adoption, agency and placement fees, and consultant and specialist fees.
  • Court costs.
  • Attorneys’ fees.
  • Necessary travel expenses relating directly to the adoption, including the amount spent for lodging and meals while away from home.
  • Visa and passport fees for the qualified adoptee.
  • Immigration, immunization and translation fees associated with the adoption occurrence.

These expenses will be reimbursed at the company’s discretion.

Adoption Reimbursement Process

Eligible team members have up to six months from the date the adoption was legally finalized to submit a reimbursement request form, along with all supporting receipts and documentation, for approval.

Eligible team members should submit the following documentation:

  • A completed Adoption Assistance Reimbursement form.
  • Copy of the signed agency adoption agreement.
  • A notarized copy of the adoption decree or a notarized court order.
  • For a foreign adoption, proof that the qualified adoptee legally resides with the eligible team member in the U.S., such as a U.S. passport, U.S. visa or U.S. birth certificate.
  • Copies of itemized bills on the letterhead of the company that provided services, along with itemized receipts and proof of payment, such as canceled checks or bank statements, showing payment has been made for all adoption expenses being submitted for reimbursement.
Surrogacy

Qualified Surrogacy Expenses

  • Fees associated with the costs of locating and interviewing a surrogate.
  • Surrogacy agency administrative fees for managing the surrogacy.
  • Legal fees incurred by an eligible team member for review and negotiation of the surrogacy contract (an itemized bill from legal counsel is required).
  • Legal fees incurred by an eligible team member in connection with acquiring legal parentage rights, including expenses associated with obtaining a prebirth order or adoption, if needed (an itemized bill from legal counsel is required if this fee is not included in the surrogacy contract).
  • Medical and hospital expenses incurred by the surrogate if these expenses are charged to the eligible team member under the surrogacy contract.

These expenses will be reimbursed at the company’s discretion.

Surrogacy Reimbursement Process

Eligible team member have six months from the date of the legally finalized surrogacy to submit a reimbursement request form, along with all supporting receipts and documentation, for approval.

Eligible team members should submit the following documentation:

  • A completed Surrogacy Benefit Reimbursement form.
  • Copy of a signed and notarized surrogacy agreement.
  • Copy of a certified birth certificate or a notarized court order identifying the eligible team member as the child’s permanent legal parent.
  • Itemized bill from legal counsel and receipts for eligible expenses paid.

 

Other information

This high-level summary is provided for your information but is not the governing document. For the governing document, please refer to the American Airlines, Inc. Adoption and Surrogacy Program, Effective January 1, 2024. That document provides a comprehensive overview of the benefits available under the program as well as limitations, exclusions, and other requirements. If there is a conflict between this summary and the governing document, the governing document controls.

Reimbursements under the Adoption and Surrogacy Program are payable only to eligible team members.

Reimbursements under the Programs are not included in eligible earnings for disability benefits, pension, 401(k) or incentive-pay (e.g., profit sharing) purposes.

To get started, download the Surrogacy Benefit Reimbursement form or Adoption Assistance Reimbursement form. The forms also include instructions for how to submit them along with the supporting documents.

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This website provides an overview of your benefit options. The complete provisions of the plans are set forth in the Plan Documents and Summary Plan Description. If the information online is inconsistent with the Plan Documents, the Plan Documents will govern. This website is not intended as a contract of employment or a guarantee of current or future employment. The Plan Sponsor(s) reserve the right to amend or terminate each plan at any time.

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