United Continental Holdings launches Perfect Attendance Program

CHICAGO – United Continental Holdings, Inc. today announced a new Perfect Attendance Program to recognize United and Continental employees for their dependability and their contributions to the combined carrier achieving operational and customer service goals. The new program will launch Jan. 1, 2011.

Employees with perfect attendance for six months will be eligible to participate in an annual drawing to win a new car, with the company awarding 11 new cars annually. United will pay all taxes associated with the vehicle. Employees will also be eligible for a rolling six-month award that rewards perfect attendance with a $50 cash award, a $50 donation made to United’s employee relief fund on the employee’s behalf, or 5,000 frequent flyer miles.

“We want to make sure that everybody is focused on running a clean, safe and reliable airline,” President and CEO Jeff Smisek said in a bulletin to employees today. “Perfect attendance helps United provide consistent, reliable service to customers, and it also reduces our costs.” He told the employees that the program will help ensure the company rewards them for their accomplishments and shares the money it saves with them.

Continental Airlines has had a Perfect Attendance Program for more than a decade, and in that time has given away more than 180 vehicles. In addition, Continental has on average given away more than 15,000 rolling six-month Perfect Attendance Awards annually. Continental has seen a measurable improvement in attendance, and a reduction in related costs, as a result of the Perfect Attendance Program.