Swissport USA— (Hourly-Paid Employees)

Brown, LLC has filed a lawsuit against Swissport USA, Inc., alleging wage and hour violations under federal and Illinois law as well as biometric privacy violations under Illinois law. Filing a lawsuit does not mean Swissport has been found liable. These allegations remain unproven while the case proceeds through the legal system.

About the Defendant

The lawsuit alleges that Defendant Swissport USA, Inc. provides airport ground-handling, cargo-handling, ramp, baggage, fueling, and related aviation-support services.

Swissport employs hourly-paid employees in Illinois and throughout the United States, including ramp agents and other airport operations employees, to provide ground-handling, cargo-handling, ramp, baggage, warehouse, clerical, and related airport-support services at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and other airport locations.

Claims in the Lawsuit

Federal Claims

The lawsuit alleges that Swissport USA, Inc. failed to pay hourly-paid employees all overtime wages owed for hours worked over forty (40) in a workweek, through several policies:

First, the complaint further alleges that Swissport automatically deducted meal-period time from hourly-paid employees’ recorded hours even though employees did not always receive bona fide, uninterrupted meal periods free from work duties. According to the complaint, employees worked through, or had their meal periods interrupted by, operational demands including aircraft arrivals, ramp operations, cargo operations, baggage operations, customer needs, staffing demands, and other airport-service needs.

Second, the lawsuit alleges that Swissport failed to record or compensate hourly-paid employees for all required pre-shift and post-shift time spent on airport premises performing reporting, access, walking, shuttle, transition, security, equipment, and work-area activities connected to their work.

In addition, the lawsuit also alleges that Swissport paid overtime compensation at rates that did not always include all remuneration required to be included in the regular rate. According to the complaint, hourly-paid employees received compensation in addition to base hourly pay, including lead pay, shift pay, and similar differentials, premiums, incentives, or other nondiscretionary compensation, but Swissport allegedly failed to include all required remuneration when calculating overtime pay.

Illinois Claims

For Illinois employees, the lawsuit alleges that Swissport violated the Illinois Minimum Wage Law and the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act by failing to pay all overtime compensation and earned wages owed, including wages for automatically deducted meal periods, pre-shift and post-shift work time, overtime calculated using all required remuneration, and final compensation due upon separation from employment.

The lawsuit further alleges that Swissport violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. According to the complaint, Swissport used a hand-recognition timeclock system for hourly-paid employees in Illinois to clock in and out of work and allegedly collected, captured, obtained, stored, used, transmitted, or disclosed biometric identifiers or biometric information without providing required written notices, obtaining required written releases, maintaining a publicly available retention policy, obtaining required consent for disclosure, or safeguarding biometric data as required by Illinois law.

Workers Covered

Position(s): Hourly-paid employees employed by Swissport USA, Inc., including ramp agents and other airport operations employees.

Locations Covered

Federal law claims: Hourly-paid employees employed by Swissport USA, Inc. anywhere in the United States or any other place covered by the FLSA.

Illinois wage claims: Hourly-paid employees employed by Swissport USA, Inc. in the State of Illinois.

Illinois BIPA claims: Hourly-paid employees who worked for Swissport USA, Inc. in Illinois whose hand geometry, handprint, fingerprint, hand-recognition template, biometric identifier, or biometric information was collected, captured, obtained, stored, used, transmitted, or disclosed by Swissport or its agents in connection with a biometric timeclock or timekeeping system.

Time Period Covered

Federal law claims: May 11, 2023, through the present.

Illinois wage claims: May 11, 2016, through the present.

Illinois BIPA claims: May 11, 2021, through the present.

Former hourly-paid employees may still be eligible if they worked during these periods.

For the federal law claims, workers can generally recover wages for up to two years before the date they join the lawsuit by filing a signed consent form with the Court, or up to three years if the Court finds that Swissport’s alleged violations were willful under 29 U.S.C. § 255(a).

Case Status

May 11, 2026: The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

How to Participate

If you are interested in participating in the lawsuit, please complete the form below so that the wage and hour lawyers at Brown, LLC can assess your eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Brown, LLC Be My Attorneys?

Yes, if you sign a retainer and/or Consent to Join form. You owe no legal fees unless there is a recovery. If successful, attorneys’ fees are sought from the defendant, not from you.

Can Swissport USA, Inc. Retaliate Against Me for Joining?

No. Federal and Illinois wage laws prohibit retaliation against workers who join a lawsuit or assert their wage rights. There are currently no allegations that Swissport has retaliated against any workers in this matter.

Will I Have to Testify or Provide Documents?

Possibly, but not necessarily. Many wage and hour cases rely primarily on employer payroll, timekeeping, and personnel records. However, saving any relevant documents you may have can be helpful.

How Long Will the Case Take?

Litigation timelines may vary depending on court schedules, case complexity, and how the defendant responds. Wage and hour cases often take two to three years, though timelines may differ depending on settlement discussions or court rulings.

If you have information related to the allegations or believe you may be affected, contact the wage and hour lawyers at Brown, LLC at (877) 561-0000 or email flsagroup@jtblawgroup.com. All inquiries are confidential, and accommodations can be made for calls after hours or on weekends.

These are allegations only. No finding of liability has been made against Swissport USA, Inc. The case will proceed through the legal process.

Contact: Brown, LLC – Wage and Hour Lawyers
Phone: (877) 561-0000
Email: flsagroup@jtblawgroup.com