Southwest Airlines Co. has agreed to shell out $18.5 million to settle claims that it mishandled short-term military leave, a violation alleged under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). Court filings in California federal court confirmed the proposed class action settlement, which aims to bring closure to years of legal battles.

Largest Known USERRA Class Settlement

The case, originally spearheaded by pilot and Air Force reservist Jayson Huntsman in 2019, has been described as a landmark moment. According to class counsel, the payout will average roughly $4,400 for each of the more than 2,700 eligible workers. Beyond the financial settlement, Southwest also agreed to provide 10 days of paid military leave annually for the next five years — a benefit unmatched in the airline industry.

“This has been a long six-year journey, but Mr. Huntsman is proud of this settlement — which is the largest USERRA class action settlement we’re aware of — and of the groundbreaking programmatic relief that it includes,” said class attorney Michael Scimone of Outten & Golden LLP.

A Precedent-Setting Agreement

The agreement arrived after the parties filed notice of a deal in February, narrowly avoiding a pivotal hearing on Southwest’s motion to decertify the class. The airline had argued that the class certification, granted in 2021, was flawed due to individualized issues within the group.

Despite that, the class achieved not only monetary relief but also a sweeping policy change. In contrast, the only other airline that resolved similar claims had agreed to just four days of paid military leave. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines continue to fight comparable lawsuits, with American recently securing class decertification in its own case — a decision still under appeal.

Settlement Class and Counsel

The final settlement class covers all current or former Southwest employees who took short-term leave between Oct. 10, 2004, and Jan. 1, 2026, and were under a collective bargaining agreement — excluding a group of meteorologists represented by Transport Workers Union Local 550.

The plaintiffs are represented by Outten & Golden LLP, Riverside NW Law Group PLLC, Peter Romer-Friedman Law, The Barton Firm LLP, and the Law Office of Thomas G. Jarrard PLLC. Southwest is defended by Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP.

While Southwest declined to comment, the settlement secures what advocates are calling the strongest military leave package in the airline industry, setting a new bar for employee protections.