In recent news, JetBlue Airways agreed to a $3.6 million settlement to resolve flight attendants' class-action claims alleging that the carrier violated California labor law. The proposed settlement received preliminary approval from a federal judge.

The Case: Booher v. JetBlue Airways Corp

The Court: U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

The Case No.: 4:15-cv-01203

The Plaintiffs: Booher v. JetBlue Airways Corp

Plaintiffs in Booher v. JetBlue Airways Corp is a proposed class action filed in 2015 amidst a flurry of litigation over whether California's strict and detailed wage laws apply to flight attendants. The element creating difficulty is that flight attendants, by the nature of their jobs, are based in the state but spend most of their time on the job - in the air. The complaint accused JetBlue of requiring flight attendants to miss their rest periods and meal breaks and not paying them for the time as California law requires. The plaintiffs also claim JetBlue failed to issue accurate wage statements reflecting their pay, hours, etc.

The Defendant: Booher v. JetBlue Airways Corp

Other airlines and trade groups faced similar allegations questioning if a federal law regulating airlines and railroads preempted state laws and arguing that a ruling to the contrary would result in costly regulatory patchwork requiring airlines to eliminate services and increase prices. The defendant in the case, JetBlue Airways Corp, presented similar arguments in this case.

Details of the Case: Booher v. JetBlue Airways Corp

The California Supreme Court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers the state) ruled in recent years that state employment law generally applies and does not specify airlines, so the industry must comply with them. In 2016 and 2017, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White dismissed many of the claims but then stayed the case pending appeals in several similar lawsuits. White vacated his earlier decisions and revived several claims against JetBlue in 2020 after the court issued plaintiff-friendly rulings. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to look at the issue after receiving encouragement from the Biden administration to allow the lower court rulings to stand. Legal counsel for the plaintiff filed the proposed settlement in San Francisco federal court. The terms designate California flight attendants employed since 2011 as benefits of the settlement. While JetBlue Airways Corp agrees to pay $3.6 million to be distributed to more than 500 flight attendants to settle the long-running lawsuit, they deny any wrongdoing. The parties agree that the settlement would resolve the claims accusing JetBlue of failing to pay their workers for missed rest breaks or meal periods, violating California labor law.

If you have questions about how to file a California employment law complaint, please get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced employment law attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.