A Southwest Airlines plane
ST. LOUIS — Southwest Airlines is facing a federal lawsuit after a former employee filed claims alleging disability discrimination and retaliation under the Missouri Human Rights Act.
The case, originally filed in the St. Louis Circuit Court was removed by Southwest to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division, on May 27.
Yolanda Carpenter, a Missouri resident and former Customer Service Agent for Southwest at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, alleges that she was subjected to a pattern of discrimination and harassment after notifying the airline of her chronic autoimmune condition, dermatographism, in June 2023.
She contends that the disorder, which causes severe reactions to skin contact and physical stress, substantially limits her ability to perform major life activities and bodily functions.
Carpenter began working for Southwest in 2018 and her position included various rotating shift assignments, some of which required lifting baggage and engaging in strenuous manual tasks.
After disclosing her condition to the company and requesting accommodations, including restrictions on lifting, Southwest initially approved the request on July 13, 2023. However, Carpenter alleges that the company repeatedly failed to honor those accommodations, assigning her to physically demanding roles on at least seven occasions between July and September 2023.
In one instance, on Aug. 11, 2023, Carpenter claims she was assigned to the “STK Drop” shift in violation of her accommodations. She claims that when she attempted to seek help, she encountered a hostile coworker who verbally confronted her and physically blocked her path.
Carpenter denies making any physical contact during this encounter.
Following this incident, Carpenter attended an administrative hearing on Sept. 5, 2023, during which she was accused of pushing the coworker. She denied the allegation and reiterated her complaints regarding Southwest’s failure to accommodate her medical needs.
According to the complaint, her supervisors, despite earlier approval of her accommodations, claimed not to know her condition or restrictions.
Carpenter’s employment was terminated on Sept. 12, 2023. She alleges that her disability, her record of disability, Southwest’s perception of her as disabled, and her complaints about workplace harassment and failure to accommodate were all motivating factors in her termination.
In her petition, Carpenter is seeking damages in excess of $25,000 for lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
Southwest, a Texas-based corporation, removed the case to federal court, citing diversity of citizenship and an amount in controversy exceeding $75,000.
The airline argues that Carpenter’s claimed backpay alone exceeds $78,000 and could rise to $146,800 by the time of trial.
Southwest further points out that under the MHRA, punitive damages and attorney’s fees — both of which Carpenter is pursuing — are recoverable and should be included in calculating the amount in controversy.
Despite the removal, Southwest denies any liability, stating that it “firmly denies Plaintiff is entitled to any such recovery and expects that it will prevail fully in this matter.” The company has reserved the right to amend or supplement its Notice of Removal and stated that no statutory bars to removal exist in this case.
Carpenter is represented by Jerome J. Dobson and Adam D. Rosenburg of Dobson Berns in St. Louis.
Southwest is represented by Kaytlin E. Kopen and Elisa R. Sullivan of Husch Blackwell in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division case number: 4:25-cv-00765
