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CONTACT: Gillian Branstetter, ACLU, gbranstetter@aclu.org SEATTLE 鈥� The Office of the Washington State Attorney General filed a complaint yesterday before the Washington State Office of Administrative Proceedings on behalf of the state鈥檚 Human Rights Commission challenging the uniform and grooming policies of Alaska Airlines for violating the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). This filing comes nearly two years after American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Washington client Justin Wetherell filed a complaint with the commission, informing it that Alaska Airlines鈥� policies discriminated against the airline鈥檚 employees who, like Justin, are nonbinary and gender fluid. 鈥淚 hope the filing from the state of Washington will push Alaska Airlines to finally fix their discriminatory and illegal uniform policy,鈥� said Justin Wetherell, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant since 2014. 鈥淚 look forward to a resolution of my three-year struggle to have my gender identity and expression respected by my employer.鈥� The commission initiated an investigation into Justin鈥檚 complaint and uncovered evidence to support Justin鈥檚 claims that they were 鈥渟ubjected to the adverse employment action of being required to dress and groom in a manner that is not consistent with their gender identity and gender expression.鈥� Three months after the commission concluded its investigation and found that, 鈥淸a] preponderance of the evidence supports a finding that [Justin] was discriminated against in employment on the basis of gender identity and gender expression[,]鈥� Alaska Airlines continues to maintain the same policy. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 filing sends an important message on behalf of all workers facing discriminatory and archaic dress codes at work,鈥� said Malita Picasso, staff attorney for the ACLU鈥檚 LGBTQ & HIV Project. 鈥淭he airline industry has a long history of enforcing discriminatory rules governing employees鈥� appearance, and Alaska Airlines has a chance to bring that history to an end. We are eager for this matter to be resolved fairly and efficiently, and for Alaska Airlines to allow Justin and other employees to use the airline鈥檚 uniform and grooming options that respect their rights as workers and as individuals.鈥� # # #