Mechanics Were Issued Warnings for Using the PTO They Earned

Southwest Airlines is being fined more than $2.3 million after a judge determined that it was unfairly retaliating against its mechanics for simply using the paid sick leave that they earned. The carrier is now threatening to reduce its “generous” leave policy and appeal the case, citing violations of due process.

Arizona’s labor department determined that the practice violated the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act, which voters passed in 2016. An administrative law judge agreed, siding with 18 employees who said their warnings created a stigma against taking leave… even though some had thousands of hours waiting for them. The fines continue to jump about $18,000 a week while the case remains unresolved.

Despite the overwhelming judgment against it, Southwest maintains it did nothing wrong. The airline said in a statement that the ruling “penalizes Southwest for providing a more-generous leave policy than Arizona state law requires”, allowing mechanics to accrue 2,000 hours of paid sick leave, and warned it may have to scale back that policy as a result. It also argued the fines violate constitutional due process and vowed to appeal.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association said the warnings stem back to November 2022. More and more complaints have come forward as the issue has progressed in court. Lee Seham, who represents many of the mechanics, said that most of the warning letters came to workers just after they took their 10th day off within a 12-month period.

Seham noted that “it's not only a legal issue. For me, it's a moral issue. If someone worked hard over many years and earned something, you should pay it. I think it’s the only honorable thing to do.”

FMI: www.southwest.com