Alaska Airlines, Inc. v. Oregon Bureau of Labor

CANBY, Circuit Judge:

The question on appeal is whether the arrangement by which Alaska Airlines, Inc., pays its employees for sick leave is subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). If it is not, then Oregon may apply its parental leave laws to require Alaska Airlines to permit employees to utilize sick leave for family leave purposes, such as care of sick children. We conclude that ERISA does not apply to Alaska Airlines’ sick leave payment system, and that Oregon may apply its law.

BACKGROUND

ERISA regulates “employee welfare benefit plans,” which include plans…