Fourth Circuit Eyes Fresh Look of Fired Pilot’s Backpay Request

A review board needs to reconsider a former private jet pilot’s request for back pay, a federal appeals court found Thursday.

There was sufficient evidence that demonstrated Michael Jones engaged in protected activity under the Aviation Reform Act and that engaging in this activity contributed to his termination by Exclusive Jets LLC, Judge James Andrew Wynn, of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, wrote in an published opinion. The company failed to provide evidence it would’ve fired Jones absent this activity, Wynn wrote.

The Fourth Circuit, however, vacated and remanded the case in part because the Administrative ...