Why the Case Was Dismissed
U.S. District Judge James Donato ruled in favor of Alaska Airlines’ motion to dismiss on August 24, 2026.
Missed EEOC Deadlines: Under federal law, workers typically have a maximum window of 300 days after a discriminatory workplace incident to file an official charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The Timeline: Alaska Airlines terminated Diala on December 2, 2024. Court records showed she did not file her complaint with the EEOC until March 12, 2026-465 days after her firing.
The Ruling: Because she blew past the 300-day statutory limit, the judge ruled her Title VII claims invalid. The judge also declined to rule on separate bias claims under California state law, saying he doubted a new filing could fix the timing deficiencies.
