Judge reduces award for flight attendant who sued Southwest

DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Southwest Airlines to rehire a flight attendant who said she was fired for expressing opposition to abortion. But the judge is reducing a jury award to the woman from more than $5 million to $800,000. U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr said in a ruling issued Monday that she reduced Charlene Carter’s award to comply with federal limits on punitive damages that companies can be required to pay. Carter charges she was fired after sending strongly worded messages to her union president, complaining about the president’s participation in the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C. In several sharp messages, she called the union official “despicable” and other terms.