Culture

This Airline Is Being Accused of Discriminating Against Nonbinary Employees Over Uniform Policy


“Policing gender is always wrong and in many instances — including with Justin and Alaska Airlines — illegal,” says Galen Sherwin, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, in a statement. “Alaska Airlines is free to adopt dress and grooming standards that present a consistent image for customers in terms of colors and style as long as the standards are not based on characteristics protected by state and federal civil rights laws.”

As the Alaska Airlines headquarters are located in Seattle, Sherwin adds that laws currently on the books in the state of Washington bar “companies from treating employees differently based on their sex, gender-related ‘appearance, behavior, or expression,’ including as part of its uniform.”

“By creating different clothing standards based on sex and gender stereotypes, Alaska Airlines violates the law,” Sherwin says.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines denies the allegations. The representative claims that the company “has been a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ+ community” and is “a leader in the industry when it comes to inclusivity in our uniform and grooming standards, which have been informed by our employees and developed in accordance with federal and state laws.”

The statement also details changes the airline says it has implemented over the past year to make the dress code more inclusive.

“Since early 2020, all flight attendants have been able to order any pant or parka style and have been able to select the uniform kit of their choice, regardless of gender identity,” says the Alaska Airline representative. “Starting later this month, we are set to introduce the ability to order these items online, giving employees greater ease of choice in the uniform selection process.”

The company also promised to “implement new gender-neutral hair policies that will allow all flight attendants to wear their hair down when not handling food, regardless of gender.”

“We are committed to continuing to explore uniform and grooming standards for our flight attendants,” the spokesperson adds. “We know we cannot do this alone, and appreciate the feedback and partnership we have with our flight attendant community.”

In response, the ACLU says it hopes “Alaska Airlines will work with us voluntarily to bring its uniform policy into full compliance with the law.”

“As our letter makes clear, if Alaska Airlines continues to require that employees adhere to either a predetermined ‘male’ uniform kit and grooming standards or a ‘female’ uniform kit and grooming standards, it will be violating the Washington Law Against Discrimination and Title VII,” Block tells them. in an email.

Wetherell also claims that executive management has refused to engage in efforts to challenge the policy, despite support from Wetherell’s direct supervisors, human resources, and union representatives. “They have declined on multiple occasions to meet with me,” they allege, “and continually sent ‘talking points’ of why the uniform policy is ‘legal’ and why they have no intention to change it.”

The complainant says it’s time for Alaska Airlines to live up to its claim of supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

“I hope Alaska Airlines will embody our value to ‘Do the Right Thing’ by fixing the discriminatory uniform policy to ensure all employees feel safe and accepted at work, regardless of gender identity or gender expression,” Wetherell tells them. “I also hope Alaska Airlines executive management will take the opportunity to reflect on the responsibility they have to treat all employees with respect and dignity.” 

“I hope they will take the opportunity to recognize additional opportunities to be more welcoming and inclusive and will work to ensure they listen to employee perspectives in the future,” they add

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