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Posted on Thu, Feb. 12, 2004
United to pay $36.5 million to settle discrimination lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal judge has ordered United Airlines to pay $36.5 million to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by 13 former flight attendants over the airline's longtime weight policy.
The settlement, approved by a U.S. District Court judge in December 2002 but suspended after United filed for bankruptcy that month, was reinstated Wednesday.
The settlement was reached after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2000 that United's weight policy for flight attendants, in place from 1980 to 1994, discriminated against women.
Under the policy, United imposed weight limits on flight attendants of both genders but set stricter standards for women, who were required to weigh between 14 and 27 pounds less the male colleagues of the same height and age.
For example, the maximum weight of a 5-foot, 7-inch tall, 30-year old female flight attendant was 142 pounds, while a man of the same height and age could weigh up to 161 pounds.
Writing for the court, Judge William Fletcher said, ``On its face, United's weight policy applied less favorably to one gender. ... men could generally weigh as much as large-framed men whether they were large-framed or not, while women could generally not weigh more than medium-framed women.''
All 13 plaintiffs, who filed the suit in 1992, worked for the airline while the weight policy was in effect and were disciplined or fired by United for violating it.
``We're glad to have resolved this issue,'' United spokesman Jason Schechter said. ``The federal district court's approval of the settlement concludes litigation concerning a company policy that was discontinued in 1994.''
print this  Â
Posted on Thu, Feb. 12, 2004
United to pay $36.5 million to settle discrimination lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal judge has ordered United Airlines to pay $36.5 million to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by 13 former flight attendants over the airline's longtime weight policy.
The settlement, approved by a U.S. District Court judge in December 2002 but suspended after United filed for bankruptcy that month, was reinstated Wednesday.
The settlement was reached after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2000 that United's weight policy for flight attendants, in place from 1980 to 1994, discriminated against women.
Under the policy, United imposed weight limits on flight attendants of both genders but set stricter standards for women, who were required to weigh between 14 and 27 pounds less the male colleagues of the same height and age.
For example, the maximum weight of a 5-foot, 7-inch tall, 30-year old female flight attendant was 142 pounds, while a man of the same height and age could weigh up to 161 pounds.
Writing for the court, Judge William Fletcher said, ``On its face, United's weight policy applied less favorably to one gender. ... men could generally weigh as much as large-framed men whether they were large-framed or not, while women could generally not weigh more than medium-framed women.''
All 13 plaintiffs, who filed the suit in 1992, worked for the airline while the weight policy was in effect and were disciplined or fired by United for violating it.
``We're glad to have resolved this issue,'' United spokesman Jason Schechter said. ``The federal district court's approval of the settlement concludes litigation concerning a company policy that was discontinued in 1994.''
