Chicago Tribune: August 22nd, 2002
A federal jury has awarded $200,000 to a Chicago man who charged United Airlines with race, sex and age discrimination after he was dismissed as a flight attendant in 1997.
Leroy Gordon, 48, had been a flight attendant for just under six months when he was fired from United on the grounds that he deviated without authorization from his assigned flight schedule, missing a trip from Los Angeles to Seattle.
Gordon’s attorney, Jon Loevy, argued successfully that his client was treated differently by his supervisor than other attendants who had missed flights.
“The jury concluded that what United did was race discrimination,” Loevy said of Tuesday’s verdict.
A United spokesman said the company is surprised and disappointed by the decision and expects to appeal.
