Pilots File Lawsuit Alleging Delta Air Lines Denied Paid Leave Amid Military Deployments
A federal judge has cleared a class-action lawsuit against Delta Air Lines, allowing current and former pilots to pursue claims that the airline denied them paid leave for short-term military deployments.Summary
A federal judge has granted a motion to proceed with a class-action lawsuit against Delta Air Lines, clearing the way for current and former pilots to pursue claims that the airline discriminated against them by denying paid leave for short-term military deployments. The lawsuit, initially filed in 2021 by Patrick Haley, Randal Reep, and Benjamin Best, alleges that Delta violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. While the airline provides paid leave for short-term civil and personal absences, it requires pilots to take unpaid leave for short-term military service under the Pilot Working Agreement (PWA). Delta argued that calculating individual damages was impractical, but the judge rejected this argument. The ruling allows the pilots to pursue claims collectively, which could include back pay. The case will now move toward trial or out-of-court settlement proceedings.
(Source：Simple Flying)