Airlines for America, which represents several airlines, including United, Southwest and Delta, filed a lawsuit this week against the Minnesota Department of Labor.

MINNEAPOLIS — An airline trade group is taking the State of Minnesota to court, challenging the state’s “earned sick and safe time” law.

Airlines for America, which represents several airlines, including United, Southwest and Delta, filed a lawsuit this week, arguing airline employees should be exempt from the state’s sick time law.

The airlines would rather follow the federal labor laws and collective bargaining agreements they already have in place, citing the unique nature of the profession and how workers often work in different locations throughout the year.

In their lawsuit, the airlines argue Minnesota’s sick time law will lead to an increase in employee absences.

The airlines also argue employees will abuse the law in order to avoid work and that these absences will lead to more flight delays and cancellations.

Kaela Berg, a flight attendant with more than 22 years of experience, says she doesn’t buy that argument.

She is also a state representative who pushed to have flight attendants and pilots included in the state’s sick time law.

“This is an argument they are making to safeguard or increase their profits. That’s honestly what it comes down to,” Rep. Berg says.

“Life happens, sick children, sick parent, a sickness that the employee might have themselves, this just gives us a little more time to address those human needs.”

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, is also speaking out against the airlines’ challenge to the sick time law.

The association sent KARE 11 the following statement:

“There is no reason to exclude aviation workers from these state sick leave laws. The airline industry should immediately stop spending money fighting aviation workers’ rights to sick leave across the country and redirect those resources into the airline for the benefit of all stakeholders. The airlines’ efforts to fight the right of workers to use sick leave without discipline is a disservice to the thousands of people we interact with while at work. It is bad policy, mean-spirited, and counterproductive. We will fight for ourselves and our passengers every time.”

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is named as the defendant in the recently filed lawsuit.

KARE 11 reached out to the department for an official comment but given the New Year’s Day holiday we have not heard back from the Department of Labor at this time.

KARE 11 also received a statement from Airlines for America that explained in further detail why the trade organization is challenging Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law:

The U.S. airline industry is proud to offer hundreds of thousands of well-paying, quality jobs in a range of positions. Our workers are the backbone of the industry and our greatest asset, which is why A4A member airlines invest significantly in current and future employees. A4A members already provide generous paid sick leave benefits, ensuring that employees have the flexibility and support they need to care for themselves and their families. A patchwork of state laws such as Minnesota’s paid sick leave law introduces unnecessary complexity and operational challenges to a national aviation system governed by federal regulations.

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