Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did I get the Notice?

The Court ordered that the Notice be sent to individuals identified as members of the Class. Based on Alaska’s records, recipients of the Notice were identified as Class Members. The case is pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington and is titled Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc., Case No. 2:18-cv-01784-RSL.

The Notice provides information about the lawsuit, the certified Class, the terms of the proposed Settlement, Class Members’ rights and options, and the Final Approval Hearing scheduled for December 10, 2026.

2. What is this lawsuit about?

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (“USERRA”) requires that servicemembers who take leaves of absence from their civilian employers to perform qualified military service be treated no less favorably than employees who take other comparable forms of leave.

The Defendant in this case is Alaska Airlines. The lawsuit alleges that Alaska violated USERRA because its pilots did not accrue vacation time during months in which military leave caused them to fall below the minimum compensation threshold for vacation accrual, while pilots taking other allegedly comparable forms of leave, such as jury duty, continued to accrue vacation. Alaska denies that it violated USERRA and states that it is settling only to avoid the risks and expense of further litigation. The claims are described in detail in the Amended Complaint, which is available here.

3. What is a class action?

In a class action, one or more people called class representatives (in this case, Leo Synoracki, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and former Alaska pilot) sue on behalf of people who have similar claims. If the Court “certifies” the class (that is, approves the case for class treatment), the Court resolves the issues for all class members.

4. What has happened in this case?

Plaintiff filed this lawsuit on December 12, 2018. Alaska answered the Complaint on February 7, 2019, denying that it violated USERRA and asserting numerous defenses. The parties engaged in discovery, through which Class Counsel obtained and reviewed extensive documents and data concerning Alaska’s leave and accrual policies. On May 22, 2020, the Court certified classes of Alaska pilots who did not accrue sick time or vacation time while on military leave.

In 2022, the District Court granted summary judgment against Plaintiff, but in 2024 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated that decision in part and returned the case to the District Court for further proceedings in light of a new Ninth Circuit decision involving similar claims. Plaintiff then filed an Amended Complaint seeking vacation and sick time accrual for military leaves lasting between 31 and 90 days. On March 13, 2026, the Court granted in part and denied in part a second motion for summary judgment by Alaska, leaving one claim in the case: the claim that pilots should have accrued vacation time during military leaves lasting between 31 and 60 consecutive days.

Following that ruling, the parties engaged in arm’s-length settlement negotiations and executed a Settlement Agreement on June 17, 2026. On August 17, 2026, the Court preliminarily approved the Settlement and scheduled a Final Approval Hearing to evaluate the fairness and adequacy of the Settlement.

5. Who is in the Class and how do I know if I am a Class Member?

The Court has certified the following Class for purposes of the Settlement:

• Current and former Alaska pilots who have taken military leave lasting between 31 and 60 consecutive days from October 10, 2004, through March 31, 2026, and who did not accrue vacation during those military leaves. Excluded from the Class are persons who previously reached settlements with or judgments against Defendant resolving or releasing the claims being released in this Settlement Agreement.

Based on data from Alaska, Class Counsel has identified 163 Class Members who meet the definition of the Class. Individuals who received the Notice were identified as Class Members based on Alaska’s records. Anyone who would like to confirm their status as a Class Member may contact the Settlement Administrator at:

Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
(888) 369-3780
info@AlaskaMilitaryLeaveSettlement.com

6. Why is there a Settlement?

The Court did not decide in favor of Plaintiff or Alaska. Instead, both sides agreed to the proposed Settlement to avoid a trial and to provide compensation to the Class Members. In deciding to settle the lawsuit, the Class Representative and Class Counsel considered, among other things: (a) the strength of the Class’s claims as determined from a review of the law and an investigation of the facts; (b) the potential monetary recovery; (c) the expense and length of continued proceedings, including a possible trial, post-trial proceedings, and appeals; (d) the risks arising from unresolved questions of law and fact, including two prior summary judgment rulings against portions of the claims in this case; (e) the nature and strength of the defenses asserted by and available to Alaska; and (f) the risks and uncertainties of continued class action litigation of this nature. The Class Representative and Class Counsel believe that the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the Class.

7. How do I know if I am part of the Settlement?

Individuals who meet the Class definition described in FAQ 5 are part of the proposed Settlement. Anyone who is unsure about their status as a Class Member may contact the Settlement Administrator at:

Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
(888) 369-3780
info@AlaskaMilitaryLeaveSettlement.com

8. What are the terms of the proposed Settlement?

Alaska will pay $500,000.00 into a Settlement Fund. After deduction of any Court-approved attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses, settlement administration costs, any taxes owed by the fund, and any Court-approved service award to the Class Representative, the net Settlement amount will be distributed to the Class pursuant to a Court-approved distribution formula called the Plan of Allocation. No portion of the Settlement Fund will revert to Alaska.

Payments from the net Settlement Fund will compensate Class Members for vacation time that did not accrue during qualifying military leaves. Under the proposed Plan of Allocation, each Class Member will receive a pro rata share of the net Settlement Fund based on the number of monthly bid periods in which that Class Member did not accrue vacation as a result of a military leave lasting between 31 and 60 consecutive days, as reflected in Alaska’s records. The 163 Class Members collectively experienced 666 such months. A Class Member’s payment will be calculated as: (the Class Member’s number of non-accrual months ÷ 666) × the net Settlement Fund. An individualized statement of non-accrual months and an estimated Settlement award was included with the Notice mailed to each Class Member. No claim form is required to receive a payment.

9. What am I giving up under this Settlement?

If the Court grants final approval of the Settlement and the Settlement becomes effective, all Class Members who do not exclude themselves will give up, or “release,” their right to sue Alaska for the failure to accrue vacation time under USERRA in connection with military leaves of up to 90 days taken while employed at Alaska through March 31, 2026, and any other claims based on or arising out of the same factual predicate as the claims in the Amended Complaint. The full details of the Release are contained in Section XIII of the Settlement Agreement, available here.

10. What will the Class Representative get under the Settlement?

The Class Representative will receive a Settlement award calculated under the Plan of Allocation like every other Class Member. In addition, Class Counsel will ask the Court to approve a service award to Plaintiff Leo Synoracki in an amount not to exceed $5,000.00. The proposed service award recognizes the service that the Class Representative provided to the Class over more than seven years of litigation, including participating in discovery and assisting Class Counsel throughout the case and settlement negotiations.

11. Do I have a lawyer in this case?

Yes. The Court has appointed Brian J. Lawler of Pilot Law, P.C., Daniel Kalish of HKM Employment Attorneys LLP, and Gene J. Stonebarger of Stonebarger Law, APC as Class Counsel to represent the Class Members. You will be represented by Class Counsel in the litigation, including implementation of the Settlement. Although it is not necessary, you have the right, if you wish, to retain your own attorney at your own expense.

If you have questions about the terms of the proposed Settlement, you may contact Class Counsel:

If you have questions regarding the Notice, you should contact the Settlement Administrator:

Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
(888) 369-3780
info@AlaskaMilitaryLeaveSettlement.com

12. How will the lawyers be paid?

Class Counsel will ask the Court for an award from the Settlement Fund of attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses incurred during the litigation. Class Counsel will not seek fees exceeding $247,500.00, plus reimbursement of litigation expenses. USERRA is a fee-shifting statute that entitles prevailing servicemembers to an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees, and no fees or court costs may ever be charged to Class Members personally under USERRA. To date, Class Counsel have collectively spent more than 1,000 hours litigating this case over more than seven years. Class Counsel agreed to accept substantially reduced fees in order to resolve the fee issue by agreement. The Court may award less than the requested amounts. Class Counsel’s motion for fees and expenses will be filed with the Court and posted on the Important Documents page before the deadline to object. The Court will consider the request, and any objections to it, at the Final Approval Hearing.

13. What are my options?

After reviewing the terms of the proposed Settlement set forth in the Notice, you have three options. You must decide at this stage whether you want to do nothing (and receive your payment under the Settlement), object to the Settlement, or exclude yourself from the Class.

14. How do I tell the Court what I think about the Settlement?

The Court must assess the overall fairness and reasonableness of the Settlement to the Class. A Class Member may object to any part of the Settlement, and the Court will consider the objection. To object, a Class Member must submit a written objection postmarked on or before October 31, 2026, containing: (1) the Class Member’s name, address, email address(es), and telephone number(s), and an appearance by any counsel representing the Class Member (if any); (2) the title of the lawsuit, Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc., Case No. 2:18-cv-01784-RSL (W.D. Wash.); (3) a written statement of the grounds for the objection; (4) a statement of whether the Class Member intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing and, if appearing through counsel, the identity of counsel; and (5) the Class Member’s signature and the date. Objections should be sent to the Settlement Administrator at:

Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799

15. Can I exclude myself from the Class?

Yes. If you do not want to participate in the Settlement, you may request exclusion (“opt out”). To exclude yourself, you must send a written request stating: (1) your name, address, email address(es), and telephone number; (2) the title of the lawsuit, Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc., Case No. 2:18-cv-01784-RSL (W.D. Wash.); (3) a statement that you want to be excluded from the Settlement; and (4) your signature and the date. Your request must be postmarked on or before October 31, 2026, and sent to the Settlement Administrator at:

Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799

If you exclude yourself from the Class, you will not receive any payment under the Settlement, but you will not give up your right to sue Alaska at your own expense regarding the claims released by the Settlement. If you exclude yourself, you may not object to the Settlement, because the Settlement will not affect you.

16. When and where will the Court decide whether to approve the Settlement?

The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing (also called a Fairness Hearing) at 11:00 a.m. on December 10, 2026, in the courtroom of the Honorable Robert S. Lasnik, at the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, WA 98101. The hearing may be continued to another date or conducted remotely without further notice to the Class; any changes will be posted on this website.

At the Fairness Hearing, the Court will determine whether the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. If there are objections, the Court will consider them. The Court will also consider Class Counsel’s motion for an award of attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses, Plaintiff’s application for a service award, and whether a final order and judgment should be entered bringing the litigation to a conclusion.

17. Do I have to come to the Fairness Hearing?

No. Class Counsel and Alaska’s counsel will answer any questions the Judge may have. If you submit an objection, you do not have to come to Court to talk about it, but you are entitled to appear if you want to. As long as you mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it.

18. May I speak at the hearing?

You may speak at the Fairness Hearing if the Court allows it. The Court may allow you to speak only if you have filed an objection. You may appear either in person or through a lawyer hired at your own expense. You may withdraw your objection at any time.

19. Can the Settlement be terminated?

Yes. If the Court does not grant final approval of the proposed Settlement, if Class Counsel or Alaska withdraws from the Settlement in accordance with the Settlement Agreement, or if the Settlement is not consummated for any other reason, the Settlement Agreement will become null and void, and the parties will resume their former positions in the lawsuit.

20. Where can I get more information?

This website and the Notice summarize the proposed Settlement. More details are available in the Settlement Agreement and other case documents posted on the Important Documents page. Questions about the administration of the Settlement or Class Member status may be directed to the Settlement Administrator at:

Synoracki v. Alaska Airlines, Inc.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
(888) 369-3780
info@AlaskaMilitaryLeaveSettlement.com

Questions about the terms of the Settlement may be directed to Class Counsel using the contact information provided in FAQ 11.