![]()
Oakland, California – Oakland employee rights law firm, Erlich Law Firm, obtained a procedural victory in federal court when U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley denied Southwest Airlines’ motion for summary judgment, allowing the claims against the airline to proceed to a jury trial currently set for October 13, 2026.
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qmu=:89E 2EE6?52?ED 492==6?8:?8 $@FE9H6DE p:C=:?6D’ EC62E>6?E @7 6>A=@J66D H9@ E@@< 72>:=J 2?5 >65:42= =62G6 H:== 92G6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ E2<6 E96:C 42D6 E@ 2 ;FCJ 27E6C E96 ;F586 4C:E:4:K65 $@FE9H6DE’D =2E6 =682= 2C8F>6?E 2?5 :56?E:7:65 H62<?6DD6D :? :ED 6G:56?46] %96 4=2DD 24E:@? 46?E6CD @? 2 BF6DE:@? E92E >2EE6CD E@ H@C<:?8 72>:=:6Di H96E96C 6>A=@J66D H6C6 AFE 4=@D6C E@ =@D:?8 E96:C ;@3D 3642FD6 E96J E@@< E:>6 @77 AC@E64E65 3J E96 u2>:=J 2?5 |65:42= {62G6 p4E Wu|{pX]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm“(96? D@>6@?6 ?665D >65:42= 42C6 @C >FDE 42C6 7@C 2 D6C:@FD=J :== 72>:=J >6>36C[ E96J 2=C625J 92G6 6?@F89 E@ H@CCJ 23@FE[” D2:5 2EE@C?6Jk^DA2?m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6C=:49]=2HJ6C^2EE@C?6JD^;2D@?\6C=:49^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@@A6?6CQmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qmy2D@? tC=:49k^DA2?mk^2mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm] “%96J D9@F=5 ?@E 92G6 E@ H@?56C H96E96C E2<:?8 AC@E64E65 =62G6 H:== AFE E96:C =:G6=:9@@5 2E C:D<]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm%96 =2HDF:E[ 3C@F89E @? 3692=7 @7 2 4=2DD @7 7=:89E 2EE6?52?ED C6AC6D6?E65 3J ~2<=2?5\32D65 tC=:49 {2H u:C>[ 492==6?86D $@FE9H6DE’D 2EE6?52?46 A@=:4J] %96 7=:89E 2EE6?52?ED 2==686 E92E FD:?8 6G6? @?6 52J @7 u|{p =62G6 :? 2 BF2CE6C 32CC65 2? 6>A=@J66 7C@> C65F4:?8 2EE6?52?46 A@:?ED E9C@F89 E96 2:C=:?6’D BF2CE6C=J C64@C5\:>AC@G6>6?E AC@8C2>] %96J 4@?E6?5 E92E E96 A@=:4J =67E A@:?ED @? 6>A=@J66D’ C64@C5D E92E D9@F=5 92G6 366? C6>@G65 2?5 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ 5:D4:A=:?6 2?5 E6C>:?2E:@?] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__QmyF586 r@C=6J C6;64E65 $@FE9H6DE’D 677@CE E@ FD6 2 ?2CC@H=J 2FE9@C:K65[ =2E6 >@E:@? E@ 2C8F6 3C@25=J E92E :ED A@=:4J H2D =2H7F=] r2==:?8 E92E 2C8F>6?E “AC@465FC2==J :>AC@A6C[” D96 6IA=2:?65 E92E :E 6I466565 E96 A6C>:DD:@? E96 r@FCE 925 8C2?E65] “%96 r@FCE 5:5 ?@E 8:G6 s676?52?E =62G6 E@ C2:D6 2C8F>6?ED :E 4@F=5 92G6 C2:D65 >@?E9D 28@ :? 2 E:>6=J >@E:@? 7@C DF>>2CJ ;F58>6?E[” D96 HC@E6] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm(:E9 E96 DF>>2CJ ;F58>6?E >@E:@? 56?:65[ E96 42D6 >@G6D :?E@ :ED 7:?2= AC6EC:2= A92D6] %96 A2CE:6D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 4@>A=6E6 C6>2:?:?8 AC6EC:2= 7:=:?8D[ 255C6DD 6G:56?E:2CJ :DDF6D[ 2?5 A2CE:4:A2E6 :? 2?J 4@FCE\@C56C65 D6EE=6>6?E 5:D4FDD:@?D 29625 @7 E96 ~4E@36C `bE9 EC:2= 52E6] &?=6DD E96 42D6 :D C6D@=G65 367@C692?5[ 2 ;FCJ H:== 36 6>A2?6=65 E@ 962C E6DE:>@?J 7C@> E96 A=2:?E:77[ $@FE9H6DE A6CD@??6=[ 2?5 @E96C H:E?6DD6D 2?5 E@ C6G:6H E96 5@4F>6?ED AC@5F465 :? 5:D4@G6CJ]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qmu@C E96 6>A=@J66D[ E96 DE2<6D C6249 36J@?5 E96 A@:?ED @? 2? 2EE6?52?46 C64@C5] !=2:?E:77D D66< 244@F?E23:=:EJ 7@C E96 =@DD @7 ;@3D 2?5 :?4@>6 E96J 4@?E6?5 C6DF=E65 7C@> E96 A@=:4J] %96:C 42D6 2D<D H96E96C =62G6 >62?E E@ AC@E64E 6>A=@J66D :?DE625 3642>6 2? @3DE24=6 E@ <66A:?8 E96:C ;@3D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__QmtC=:49 {2H u:C>[ 32D65 :? ~2<=2?5[ C6AC6D6?ED E96 A=2:?E:77D :? E96 24E:@? 282:?DE $@FE9H6DE] %96 7:C> 92D 7C2>65 E96 CF=:?8 2D 2? :>A@CE2?E DE6A :? 6?DFC:?8 E92E E96 7=:89E 2EE6?52?ED 92G6 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ AC6D6?E E96 42D6 E@ 2 ;FCJ[ 4@?D:DE6?E H:E9 E96 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= C:89E E@ 2 4:G:= EC:2=]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm“!6@A=6 42? 36 565:42E65 6>A=@J66D 2?5 DE:== ?665 E:>6 E@ C64@G6C @C 42C6 7@C D@>6@?6 E96J =@G6[” tC=:49 D2:5] “(6 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@ AFEE:?8 E96 6G:56?46 367@C6 2 ;FCJ 2?5 2D<:?8 :E E@ 9@=5 $@FE9H6DE 244@F?E23=6 7@C E96 92C> @FC 4=:6?ED 2==686]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mrp$t x}u~#|p%x~}k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr2D6 }F>36Cik^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qmaa\r'\__geg\y$rk^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr2D6 }2>6ik^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm#@C6DE6 #67F6CK@ GD] $@FE9H6DE p:C=:?6D[ r@]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@FCEik^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__Qm&?:E65 $E2E6D s:DEC:4E r@FCE }@CE96C? s:DEC:4E @7 r2=:7@C?:2k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=2H7:C>?6HDH:C6]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_h^~C56C\s6?J:?8\stu\|@E:@?\7@C\$F>>2CJ\yF58>6?E]A57Qm~C56C s6?J:?8 s676?52?E’D |@E:@? 7@C $F>>2CJ yF58>6?Ek^2mk^DEC@?8m W!suXk^Am
kAmtC=:49 {2H u:C> 92D >@C6 E92? ad J62CD @7 6IA6C:6?46 :? 9@=5:?8 6>A=@J6CD 244@F?E23=6 7@C E96:C :==682= 24E:@?D 282:?DE E96 A6@A=6 H9@ H@C< 7@C E96>] x7 J@F 36=:6G6 J@FC C:89ED 2E H@C< 92G6 366? G:@=2E65[ J@F 4@F=5 A@E6?E:2==J 36 6?E:E=65 E@ 52>286D 7C@> J@FC 6>A=@J6C]k^Am
kAmtC=:49 {2H u:C>k^Am
kAm`g_ vC2?5 pG6] $F:E6 `bg_ ~2<=2?5[ rp hce`ak^Am
kAmWd`_X fgg\abbfk^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6C=:49]=2HJ6C^Qm9EEADi^^6C=:49]=2HJ6C^k^2mk^Am
kAm!C6DD r@?E24E i y2D@? tC=:49k^Am
kAms:DEC:3FE65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=2H7:C>?6HDH:C6]4@>^Qm{2H u:C> }6HDH:C6k^2mk^Am
k5:G 5:ClQ2FE@QmkAm{682= s:D4=2:>6Cik^AmkAmtx} !C6DDH:C6 AC@G:56D E9:D ?6HD 4@?E6?E Q2D :DQ H:E9@FE H2CC2?EJ @7 2?J <:?5] (6 5@ ?@E 2446AE 2?J C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ @C =:23:=:EJ 7@C E96 244FC24J[ 4@?E6?E[ :>286D[ G:56@D[ =:46?D6D[ 4@>A=6E6?6DD[ =682=:EJ[ @C C6=:23:=:EJ @7 E96 :?7@C>2E:@? 4@?E2:?65 :? E9:D 2CE:4=6] x7 J@F 92G6 2?J 4@>A=2:?ED @C 4@AJC:89E :DDF6D C6=2E65 E@ E9:D 2CE:4=6[ <:?5=J 4@?E24E E96 2FE9@C 23@G6]k^Amk^5:Gm
kAmk:>8 4=2DDlQACECQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^HHH]6:?AC6DDH:C6]4@>^EC24<:?8^2CE:4=6]8:7n2l"~J9\?axF(0"HvaBU2>AjACl~h@I+@|62)tJ$(7(Q 96:89ElQ`Q H:5E9lQ`Q ^mk^Am
k5:G 4=2DDlQIAC\DE@CJ\>65:2\82==6CJQ DEJ=6lQ4@=F>?\H:5E9iad_AIj 4@=F>?\82Ai`eAIj >2C8:?iacAI _j A255:?8i_jQmkA 4=2DDlQIAC\DE@CJ\>65:2\82==6CJ00E:E=6Q DEJ=6lQ4@=F>?\DA2?i2==j >2C8:?i_ _ `aAIj 7@?E\D:K6i`gAIj 7@?E\H6:89Eie__jQm|65:2 82==6CJk^Amk5:G 4=2DDlQIAC\DE@CJ\>65:2\82==6CJ00:E6> IAC\DE@CJ\>65:2\82==6CJ00:E6>\\:>286Q DEJ=6lQ3C62<\:?D:56i2G@:5j >2C8:?\3@EE@>i`eAIj 3@C56C\C25:FDieAIj @G6C7=@Hi9:556?jQmk7:8FC6 DEJ=6lQ>2C8:?i_j A255:?8i_jQmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^5acgg7H=h`_K6h]4=@F57C@?E]?6E^^$%~#*0|tsxp^72==324<\32?<^43cf3`d5\cdcf\ccee\23fg\gf27h75g4b37Q 2=ElQQ DEJ=6lQH:5E9i`__Tj 96:89Ei2FE@j 5:DA=2Ji3=@4<jQ ^mk^7:8FC6mk^5:Gmk^5:Gm