Billions of taxpayer dollars were given to airlines to keep their employees on staff when travel returned. They didn't do that. They paid employees to stay at home rather than work, and they convinced employees to retire early.
They tried to get employees to take leaves and early retirements, but the offers got better and better. The United Airlines employee who took an early out is now suing the airline because they made a better offer.
A retired flight attendant sued United Airlines in Illinois federal court Tuesday, claiming the airline illegally blocked her and other retirees from accessing benefits and additional pay through early-out programs, which the airline maintains are actually paid leaves of absence.
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Micheal Hoffman, 64, lodged her complaint Tuesday under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and seeks to bring her claims on behalf of a proposed class of other United retirees who she said were also prevented from obtaining early-out benefits under two of the airline's programs.
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The complaint said thatHoffman was qualified for the Voluntary Separation Program 2, which offered health care and retirement benefits.
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She tried to switch to the second program after learning about another program that offered better benefits than the one she retired under.
United didn't offer early retirement, they offered leaves you can't come back from. Ok, then.
It doesn't matter if a better offer comes along later, if an employee accepts the offer they were given.
The employee claims that United Airlines promised that they could. From the complaint.
Many of you have told me that you are holding off on retirement, waiting to see if the company offers another early out. I want to be transparent with you about our future plans so that you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family. To give you more confidence when you decide to retire, I have asked to add a new clause to our retirement policy. If something dramatic happens in the industry and we decide to offer an early out within 36 months after you retire, you would be eligible for the financial benefits of the program even after retiring.
The question is whether that promise is binding on future offers.
I warned you to be indispensable in your job, that we were in a recession and work from home couldn't be an excuse to let up at work. A lot of jobs would be lost, so you needed to be in a good position.
July 12, 2020.
"Airlines"
Airlines are pretending that they used the money to be prepared to fly, when in reality they were pocketing it for themselves. The'really bad stuff' that would have happened without the help of the government was not true. Airlines are going to be back at the public trough again.
July 8, 2021.
"Airlines"
The President, the Speaker of the House, and many members of the House of Representatives and the Senate were fooled by airlines into signing onto the idea of a $25 billion extension of the CARES Act payroll support. That's a second $25 billion injection of cash.
September 19, 2020.
"Airlines"
