Southwest Airlines (WN, Dallas Love Field) has filed a USD18.8 million settlement in the US District Court for the Northern District of California related to a class-action lawsuit brought by pilots, Bloomberg Law has reported.

The lawsuit alleges that the LCC violated pilots' civil rights by failing to pay pension contributions and accounting for accrued sick leave of the employees who took leaves for military service.

Under US legislation, employers have to continue paying pension contributions and accruing sick leave for their staff who take leave for military service or jury duty.

The settlement includes USD13 million in benefits for the accrued sick leave and a USD5.8 million contribution to the pilots' retirement fund.

The class-action lawsuit potentially includes as many as 2,000 staff members.