Court approves $4.5M settlement in WestJet flight attendant harassment case
B.C. court approves $4.5M settlement in class-action lawsuit over workplace harassment of WestJet flight attendants.Summary
A British Columbia court has approved a $4.5-million settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by over 3,400 current and former female flight attendants who worked for WestJet between April 2014 and February 2021. The suit, spearheaded by former flight attendant Mandalena Lewis, alleged the airline failed to provide a harassment-free workplace and mishandled sexual assault complaints against a pilot. The settlement works out to roughly $470 per eligible claimant and requires WestJet to retain a third party to assess harassment prevalence and reporting systems, though the company is not obligated to act on the findings. WestJet denied wrongdoing and the settlement includes no admission of liability. The case began in 2016 after Lewis alleged she was sexually assaulted by a pilot during a 2010 layover in Hawaii and that WestJet had ignored a prior complaint against the same pilot. The airline expressed satisfaction with the settlement and commitment to improving workplace culture.
(Source：BayToday)