Former Emery Worldwide Airlines workers lose court appeal

A federal appeals court has ruled against about 575 former employees of Emery Worldwide Airlines Inc. who said the company owed them either a 60-day notice of layoff, or 60 days pay as an alternative, before they permanently lost their jobs at Dayton International Airport.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the workers were not entitled to notice, under a federal law that requires 60-day notice of mass layoffs, because Emery ceased operations at its commercial air freight hub at the Dayton airport within four months of their 2001 layoff.

The workers therefore had no reasonable expectation of being recalled to their jobs, a three-judge appeals court panel ruled on Wednesday. That ruling upheld a September 2009 decision by U.S. District Judge Walter Rice of Dayton in favor of Emery Worldwide. The workers had sued the company.

Emery initially “temporarily” laid off the workers in August 2001 because of operational problems that the Federal Aviation Administration insisted be fixed, according to evidence presented in the court case. When Emery ultimately decided in December 2001 to cease operations, it a gave a 60-day advance notice of layoff, with pay, to 90 remaining workers. The workers previously laid off contended they were entitled to similar consideration.

David Torchia, a lawyer for the ex-Emery workers, said Thursday he will consult with them about whether to appeal further.

The former Emery air freight terminal, at Dayton International Airport, now belongs to United Parcel Service, which has idled most of the building.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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