US: Airlines sue attorney general over Mass. sick time law

A4A is suing Massachusetts over its paid sick time law, saying it is unconstitutional and should not apply to airlines. In a complaint filed in federal court against attorney general Maura Healey the group says that much of the work done by locally based flight crews takes place outside Massachusetts, in federally regulated airspace. They also contend that the law violates the Constitution by putting a burden on interstate commerce. The airlines argue that the state’s sick leave law hurts carriers’ business by leading to more employee absences, which cause flight delays and cancellations, angering passengers and damaging their brands. One airline has closed a flight attendant base after a paid sick time law led to an increase in the number of employees calling in sick, according to the complaint. <br/>