Soaring to Service: $18.5M USERRA Settlement and HR Takeaways – What HR Needs to Know About Military Leave Pay
The recent $18.5 million settlement in Huntsman v. Southwest Airlines Co. represents the largest USERRA class action recovery reported to date and signals a significant shift in how employers approach paid short term military leave when other comparable short leaves (e.g., jury duty, bereavement) are paid. Under the proposed deal, approximately 2,791 employees will share monetary relief and—importantly—the company will implement up to 10 paid days per year of short term military leave beginning in 2026 and continuing through 2030. This paid-leave policy acts as a practical benchmark for HR leaders across industries. Courts across multiple circuits—including the Seventh, Third, and Ninth—now agree: if you pay for jury duty or bereavement leave, you must treat short-term military leave equally . This is not an industry-specific issue; retail and logistics employers have also faced multimillion-dollar settlements. The policy implemented under the Huntsman settlemen...