United Airlines warns thousands of workers that their jobs are in jeopardy

United Airlines said the jobs of some 14,000 employees are in jeopardy when a second round of federal aid expires this spring, the latest sign of how the industry is struggling to regain its footing in the coronavirus pandemic.

Companies have a legal obligation to inform employees if their jobs are at risk in advance and it does not mean they will eventually lose their jobs. United is resorting to new voluntary measures to reduce staffing.

United and American Airlines recently began remembering thousands of employees who attended when the first round of government payroll support expired in the fall. Last year, Congress approved additional aid for the industry, on the condition that they re-call salaried workers and keep payrolls until March 31st. United told employees last year that callbacks would likely be temporary.

“Despite continued efforts to distribute vaccines, customer demand hasn’t changed much since we remembered those employees,” the airline said in a staff note Friday, which was seen by CNBC. “When the withdrawals began, United said the most remembered employees would return to their previous condition as a result of the April 1 fall spas.”