Southwest Airlines has agreed to pay $18.5 million on Thursday, September 25, to settle a federal lawsuit filed by employees who accused the carrier of failing to provide proper military leave benefits , as per a recent Reuters report. The suit, initially filed in 2019, alleged that Southwest violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by denying certain pay differential, benefits, and promotions to employees called to active duty.

Under the agreement, Southwest will pay eligible claimants a share of the settlement fund and add paid military leave days. The carrier admitted no wrongdoing, but will be covering both back pay and seniority damages claimed by service members seeking parity with nonmilitary employees. An initial settlement agreement was re

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