US lawsuit says United denied sick leave to pilot on active duty

The US government filed a lawsuit Monday accusing United of violating a pilot's employment rights by failing to provide sick leave when he was called to active duty by the US Air Force, where he was a reservist. According to a complaint filed in Chicago federal court, United failed to credit Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Fandrei with sick leave while he was deployed as a KC-10 pilot in southwest Asia from December 2012 to March 2013. The US Department of Justice said the carrier did this despite offering such benefits to other employees on similar leave, violating the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). "USERRA ensures that service members like Lt. Col. Fandrei who answer our nation's call to duty don't return to civilian life and find their employment benefits denied and their civil rights violated," said Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department's civil rights division. The carrier said it believes its policies comply with USERRA, and that it is "committed to supporting the many aviation professionals at our airline who served or who are currently serving in the military." The lawsuit seeks to recoup the value of Fandrei's lost benefits, and an injunction against similar violations.<br/>