Wilson v Southwest Airlines Co
Wilson v Southwest Airlines, 517 FSupp 292 (ND Tex 1981) is a US labor law case, concerning discrimination.
| Wilson v Southwest Airlines | |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas |
| Citation(s) | 517 FSupp 292 (ND Tex 1981) |
| Holding | |
| A tangential requirement for a position is not a bona fide occupational qualification as a defense for discrimination on the basis of sex. | |
| Keywords | |
| Discrimination; bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) | |
Facts
Southwest Airlines hired females only to cabin attendant positions and required they wear hot pants in response to the mostly male passengers. Male applicants claimed this was unlawful sex discrimination. The company argued it was needed to protect the business’ image, which had recently included an advertising campaign promising 'love in the sky'. This was argued as a Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) by Southwest.
Judgment
The Texas District Court held the men won because the business’ essence was transporting passengers and the ‘love in the sky’ ads were not central enough and did not meet primary function of the business.
Significance
The case triggered a series of other complaints. A Hooters class action case was settled without resolution of the law.
See also
- US labor law