American Airlines is facing criticism after rolling out a new employee scoring system. Detractors argue that the system closely monitors flight attendants, gathering data on everything from passenger ratings to their activity on Microsoft Teams. This has led to concerns about workplace surveillance, raising questions about compliance with California’s strict privacy laws.
The Me@Work initiative started in April and analyzes a year’s worth of employee data to generate scores for individual staff. This information comes from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents the airline’s flight attendants.
American Airlines has defended the platform, stating it’s intended to help employees track their performance and growth, rather than act as a means of imposing discipline.
However, many critics remain unsatisfied with this explanation.
The scoring system takes into account various workplace factors, such as passenger satisfaction surveys, attendance records, flight performance metrics, delays related to flight attendants, adherence to company policies, usage of Microsoft Teams, compliance with electronic flight bag protocols, and the speed of incident report submissions.
Flight attendants have contended that many of these measurements depend on circumstances outside their control. For instance, negative passenger survey results might be influenced by delays, Wi-Fi issues, catering complaints, or even the cleanliness of the aircraft, rather than the attendants’ performance.
Employees are also questioning how the airline determines “operational contribution” and whether broader system disruptions could unfairly impact individual ratings.
Unions are demanding greater transparency in the creation of these ratings, wanting assurance that workers can access and contest the information affecting their records.
This situation is particularly notable in California, where strong consumer privacy laws apply to many employees. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which has been enhanced by the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), California workers have the right to know what personal data is being collected, how it’s utilized, and they can request corrections for inaccuracies.
According to an internal memo from the union, “Under the law, workers have the right to know when their employer is monitoring them, the type of information being gathered, and how it’s used.”
Employees should also have the ability to access their personal data and request the correction or deletion of incorrect information, the memo emphasized.
The APFA asserted that the Me@Work system exemplifies how American Airlines management collects data on individual flight attendants without allowing them the chance to correct, verify, or contest this information.
On the flip side, American Airlines might claim it has met all required notification standards and is in compliance with existing privacy regulations.
This debate arises amidst the company’s struggle with profit margins, even while reporting record earnings. American Airlines posted quarterly revenue of $16.74 billion, up 16.3% compared to the same time last year. Still, its net income plummeted by 88% to $71 million, and the operating margin dropped from 7.9% to 2.7%.
Although premium ticket sales increased by 19% year-over-year and corporate bookings rose by 26%, soaring jet fuel prices inflated fuel costs by 83%, adding $2.2 billion to quarterly expenses.
The airline has also revised its full-year earnings outlook to a projected range of -$0.65 to $0.65 per share, aligning closer to breakeven. This news led to an 8% decline in the company’s stock price as investors reacted to the downward adjustment in earnings expectations.
