A jury has ruled that a clothing brand must pay more than $1 million to four American Airlines flight attendants who said chemicals in their uniforms made them sick.
American Airlines distributed the new uniforms in 2016 and initially, attendants were happy to get a new outfit after wearing the same one for a decade.
But then the complaints started, with attendants reporting rashes, headaches and breathing problems while wearing the new clothes.
One woman, Tracey Silver-Charan, told The Post: ‘I woke up and my eyes were completely swollen. It felt like I was in a boxing match.
‘I couldn’t breathe. I often felt like I was going to faint while working. I came home and my husband took me to the emergency room.”
Employee Heather Poole claimed her uniform made her sick
But she said she would feel better when she got home from a trip.
Other attendees felt the same, and in 2017, a group of 425 American Airlines employees filed a lawsuit against uniform manufacturer Twin Hill and its former parent company Tailored Brands.
They claimed that their health problems were caused by formaldehyde applied to the cotton blouses in a Chinese fabric factory.
Formaldehyde is often applied to fabrics to prevent wrinkles, but in this case, labor lawyer Daniel Balaban said it resulted in a “defective product that harms people.”
A 2010 study by congressional researchers found that formaldehyde levels in clothing are generally low, but some people experience allergic reactions, including rashes, blisters, and itchy or burning skin.
The jury returned a verdict in the case on October 25, deciding that four of the employees should be awarded more than $1 million combined.
The judge has not yet confirmed the jury’s decision, but an attorney for the flight attendants told the Post that this move is a technicality.
This is likely just the tip of the iceberg, as more than 400 other employees are also seeking settlements.
The jury ruled that the Twin Hill Acquisition Co. uniforms provided were a ‘substantial factor in causing harm’ to the flight attendants.
However, jurors said the company was not negligent in the design of the garments or in failing to recall them when complaints started pouring in.
Ms. Silver-Charan will receive a $320,000 settlement for economic losses, physical pain and mental suffering.
American Airlines distributed the uniforms to employees in 2016
In an interview with the Post, she said she told American Airlines there was something wrong with the uniforms just a month after she was given them to wear.
When other employees reported, they were allowed to wear their old blouses instead, but they still got sick from being around other employees who were still wearing them.
Ultimately, Ms. Silver-Charan said she had to take six months of unpaid leave because her symptoms made it too difficult to continue her work.
She said, “I had to go back to work (because) I had to put food on the table and I needed my health insurance because I was sick.
‘It was scary. I was sick. I was scared. I was afraid of losing my job.’
According to a trial order, American Airlines terminated its contract with Twin Hill after thousands of flight attendants complained.
The largest amount awarded was $750,000 to a woman named Brenda Sabbatino.
In an email to The Post, the lead attorney, Balaban, said Sabbatino “developed severe chemical sensitivities to fragrances, perfumes (and) chemical odors,” forcing her to retire early.
Tracey Silver-Charan was a counselor for 37 years. She developed a rash and breathing problems after wearing the uniform
The two other employees received a combined $15,000 for past economic losses due to headaches, rashes and fatigue.
One of the employees, Heather Poole, claimed the uniforms made her sick and blogged about her experience.
She said: ‘Every time I go to work I get sick. Every time I go to work I feel terrible.
“Since the uniform went into use on September 20, I have seen more doctors than I have ever seen in my life and I have learned things about toxic chemicals that I never knew before.”
Tailored Brands no longer owns Twin Hill and was dismissed as a defendant at trial.
Twin Hill and American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.