By Steven Cohen  |  January 3, 2020

Category: Labor & Employment

delta airline flight attendant performing safety instructions A class action lawsuit has been filed against Lands’ End Inc. by employees of Delta Air Lines who claim that newly issued uniforms made by the defendants are creating deleterious health risks.

The plaintiffs, whose employment runs the gamut from flight attendants to Sky Club Workers, say they have been required to wear the new uniforms since May 2018.

They claim that Lands’ End used chemicals and finishes to create a uniform that is wrinkle and stain-resistant, as well as waterproof and anti-static.

“The combination of these additives and finishes has an allergic and sensitizing effect on the human body, even if those several additives and finishes are relatively safe in their individual respective quantities,” the Lands’ End class action lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs claim that since they have started wearing the uniforms, they have suffered from a variety of health issues, such as respiratory distress, skin blisters, blurred vision, dry eyes, migraines, and headaches.

One of the plaintiffs, Stephanie Andrews, a Delta Flight Attendant, says she suffers from asthma, vocal cord dysfunction, difficulty breathing, coughing, hair loss, as well as other maladies. Another flight attendant, Janelle Austin, claims that she suffers from hair loss, skin irritation, rashes, itchiness, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headaches, eye irritation and sinus irritation.

The Lands’ End class action lawsuit states that the employees who have had these reactions to the new uniforms did not have these symptoms before. The plaintiffs claim that the health problems were caused by the new uniforms and they continue to the present day.

The Delta employees are seeking damages for their personal injuries, pain and suffering, emotional distress and financial loss. In addition, the plaintiffs would like Lands’ End to recall the uniforms so they do not cause more harm and continue the risk of toxic exposure.

The Lands’ End class action lawsuit would also like the defendant to create a monitoring program which would periodically ascertain whether the uniforms are adversely affecting the health of the plaintiffs so that medical treatment can be provided.

“The Uniforms pose an ongoing, unreasonable risks of physical harm to the Class, including threatening the Class members with future serious health problems because of an allergic and/or sensitization response,” the Lands’ End class action lawsuit claims.

The plaintiffs state that the uniforms are currently worn by around 64,000 Delta employees, which include 24,000 flight attendants, and 40,000 other airline employees.

The Lands’ End class action lawsuit claims that the company was aware of health problems caused by the uniforms because of issues suffered by flight attendants at Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.

The plaintiffs say Delta apprised Lands’ End of the problems with the uniforms during the contract negotiations and that the agreement has warranties and indemnities about the safety of the uniforms.

“The Delta Employees’ symptoms are serious enough that several flight attendants have been forced to leave their flights mid-trip, necessitating unscheduled returns,” notes the class action lawsuit. In addition, the plaintiffs claim that emergency care has been needed out of their home state or out of the country.

“Many Delta Employees requested alternate uniforms from Defendants only to be sent another uniform that caused the same adverse health effects,” states the lawsuit.

A similar lawsuit was filed in May of last year by Delta employees who claimed that their “Passport Plum” uniforms were making them sick.

Do you work for Delta? Leave a message in the comments section below.

The plaintiffs are represented by Bruce A. Maxwell of Terrell Hogan Yegelwel PA, Donald Winder of the Winder Law Firm, and Jay Urban of Urban & Taylor SC.

The Lands’ End Delta Uniforms Class Action Lawsuit is Stephanie Andrews, et al. v. Lands’ End Inc., Case No. 3:19-cv-01066, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

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11 thoughts onLands’ End Class Action Says Delta Uniforms Are Toxic

  1. Crystal Jude says:

    Hi my name is Crystal and I worked for North West /Delta airlines in 2007 through 2008 and I had a really bad reaction to the point I was hospitalized with life threatening allergy which took to 2011 to partially recover with health issues. I have contacted my lawyer but no reply I completed all of my forms. Delta is trying to cover their butt saying that they didn’t know we were making reports and were fired for making complaints this issue was going on before 2017 2018 It was hard to prove until now when I first tried contacting in the hospital I was asked how would I prove that the uniforms made me sick with no luck. I am very upset because They are lying they have been buying lands ends uniforms since 2007.

  2. Cathy says:

    Hello my name is Cathy and I am a Delta Airlines Flight Attendant. In the past year and a half I would almost immediately begin to suffer severe allergies and sinus drain after putting on the uniform. This would include throat irritation and very often it would be so bad , even with taking allergy medication, that my ears would plug, and become excruciatingly painful during the flights. I soon began to realize that when I traveled for leisure, out of uniform, that I never had these same symptoms. It has almost always been a ear, nose, throat issue with headaches, but I have also noticed being very fatigued. I have talked with other flight attendants and found they were having similar issues, but I do not know who to contact to join the class action suit.

  3. Carole Anne Adams says:

    I am a Delta flight attendant and have been experiencing dermatitis. My dermatologist diagnostic it shortly after wearing the new passport plum and traveling thistle pieces. Other symptoms are hairlosd.

    Please contact me.

  4. Jasmine Govan says:

    I put the passport plum uniform on and I immediately broke put with a rash all around my hip, butt and in between my thighs. I had to return my uniform and get new ones. After the return, my pants immediate start tearing between the thighs. I’ve had to replace my pant 3 times due to tearing in between the legs

    1. Stacey D says:

      I have been experiencing migraines headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, itchiness, break outs, breathing difficulties, stabbing pain in my left breast etc. This uniform is toxic!!!!

  5. Caroline Vellmure says:

    Hi,
    I’ve worked for delta Gate agent since 06/2018 and when I first wore the uniform I broke out with a rash thru out my whole neck, I even called to report it also to my manager and they (lands end) replaced it with a 100% cotton uniform, still had the rash, I have pictures with the rash thru out my neck. How would I file a claim with this class action?

  6. Melissa Duvall says:

    Hi ! I’ve worked for a company for the last 14 years that’s used lands end clothing and myself and other coworkers have experienced the same symptoms for years ? How would we file a complaint with this class action ?

  7. janet lyle says:

    please contact me.

  8. amy says:

    How disturbing! How horrible for these people to choose between their health and their paycheck! I am an environmental science teacher and I have done case studies with my students about toxins in various products but this is eye opening and a cautionary tail about any textile with anti-wrinkle, anti-static, stain resistance claims. I already avoid ALL flame retardant cloths. So scary… what a toxic world we have created! I recommend you contact the makers of The Story of Stuff and let them create educational material about this issue to spread awareness and put pressure on the company through educating their potential customers and see if NRDC and Green Peace can look at the waste trail at Land’s End to see if they are leaching these toxins into the soil and groundwater or if they are following all the environmental rules pertaining to disposal. That could bolster your case. What a stain on a company known to provide outdoor activity garments. Keep up the news of the lawsuit in the press. That is how I heard about it and I dug deeper to find out about the suite of chemicals. Make sure the next round of news coverage includes the list of chemicals and explains their neurological and carcinogenic effects and have reputable chemists explain their synergistic effects too. Show images of what it has done to people and get the affected people to talk to reporters. Turn the screws tight because companies care about their reputation. Not sure if you are allowed to do any of these things but if you are allowed, DO IT!! Thanks for protecting these folks!

  9. Chris Walker says:

    Please contact me

    1. Jasmine Govan says:

      Please contact me

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