A Delta Air Lines employee has filed a lawsuit alleging systemic discrimination and retaliation based on their Jewish and Israeli background. The complaint, filed by Sasi Sheva in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on August 19, 2024, accuses Delta Air Lines, Inc. of violating federal and New York City human rights laws.
Sasi Sheva, a flight attendant with Delta for two and a half years, claims that the airline has consistently discriminated against Jewish, Hebrew-speaking, and Israeli employees. According to the lawsuit, Sheva faced numerous instances of discriminatory treatment, including being denied meal breaks to accommodate his vegetarian diet due to religious beliefs and being served inappropriate food despite clear dietary restrictions noted in his employee profile.
"Despite Plaintiff's employee profile clearly stating he is Hebrew-speaking, Jewish and vegetarian, he was provided with a ham sandwich," the complaint states.
The lawsuit also details how Delta allegedly mishandled Sheva's requests for religious accommodations. For instance, when Sheva requested time off for Yom Kippur well in advance, Delta subjected him to an intrusive verification process requiring documentation from a religious leader. Despite complying with these demands, his request was ultimately denied on grounds that it would disrupt Delta’s seniority system. "Delta’s response was not only non-accommodating but...devoid of any attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution," the complaint alleges.
Sheva also reports suffering workplace injuries due to negligence by Delta contractors and facing retaliation when seeking medical treatment. After reporting an injury from a vehicle accident caused by a Delta contractor in July 2022 and another injury from tripping over a seatbelt on an aircraft in September 2023, Sheva claims he was harassed by administrators for scheduling necessary treatments during work hours. "Plaintiff followed Delta’s established protocols but was nevertheless harassed by Ms. Jacqueline Robinson and Ms. Mallory Rongier," according to the filing.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages to deter future misconduct by Delta Air Lines. The lawsuit outlines multiple causes of action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), including discrimination based on religion/national origin and retaliation for engaging in protected activities.
Representing Sasi Sheva are attorneys Steven A. Feldman from the Law Office of Steven A. Feldman & Associates PLLC and the National Jewish Advocacy Center Inc., who have demanded a jury trial for this case identified as 1:24-cv-05778.