United States First Circuit
Carrasquillo-Ortiz v. American Airlines, Inc., 15-1424
In a suit brought by former airline employees who content they are owed severance pay, and following the receipt of answers to questions certified to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico involving the interpretation of Article 3 of Puerto Rico's Law No. 80, which requires companies that operate in Puerto Rico to pay a statutory severance, called a 'mesada,' to certain employees in Puerto Rico who are terminated as part of a downsizing or restructuring when less senior employees in their job category are permitted to remain, the District Court's summary judgment to defendant is affirmed where the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico's decision in Reyes Sanchez v. Eaton Elec., 189 P.R. Dec. 586 (2013), covers cases in which the defendant employer operates as one corporate entity worldwide, and because American has only one office in Puerto Rico, American does not make transfers that could trigger the method for computing seniority that would benefit the plaintiffs.
Appellate Information
- Published 2016/06/09
Judges
- BARRON
Court
- United States First Circuit