Date: April 10, 2017
CBS19 and other local media in Charlottesville, Va., reported on the University of Virginia's formal response to an equal-pay and discrimination complaint filed by TELG client Betsy Ackerson, a U.Va. administrator.
Quoteworthy:
"I think we're going to see a very pronounced pattern of men being paid more than women at the University of Virginia."
Adam Augustine Carter
[EXCERPT]
UVA responds to gender discrimination suit
The University of Virginia has filed a response to a federal lawsuit alleging gender pay discrimination denying wrongdoing.
“UVA denies having any wrongful or discriminating motivation with respect to Plaintiff,” reads the response, filed April 7 in federal court.
UVA spokesperson Anthony DeBruyn said school policy prevents commenting on pending litigation.
However, the attorney for the woman who sued, Betsy Ackerson, says he’s confident in the case.
“I think we’re going to see a very pronounced pattern of men being paid more than women at the University of Virginia,” said Adam Augustine Carter, of the Washington, D.C.-based Employment Law Group.
[ADDITIONAL COVERAGE]
U.Va. files to dismiss gender discrimination lawsuit
From The Cavalier Daily (April 12, 2017)
Asst. Vice Provost Betsey Ackerson’s lawsuit against the University saw new developments when the University asked the court to dismiss the suit last Friday. Ackerson sued the University in federal court in February, claiming the University practiced pay discrimination based on gender.
In the answer to the complaint, the University asked a federal judge to dismiss the suit and issue a summary judgment in their favor.
The University’s answer also denied the allegations of pay discrimination based on gender, citing any salary differences to other factors like merit and tenure.
UVA asks court to dismiss gender discrimination lawsuit
From NBC29 (April 10, 2017)
The University of Virginia is asking a federal judge to dismiss a gender discrimination lawsuit.
An administrator, Betsy Ackerson, filed the suit claiming the university knowingly paid her less than her male counterparts.
Ackerson also says UVA threatened her job when she raised concerns.
The plaintiff, who filed her lawsuit on February 15, says the university retaliated against her when she took medical leave.
UVa denies claims in gender-discrimination lawsuit
From The Daily Progress (April 12, 2017)
The University of Virginia is categorically denying all of the claims lobbed against it by a high-ranking university official who is suing for gender discrimination.
Betsy Ackerson, assistant vice provost at UVa, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Charlottesville in February, alleging that the university has knowingly paid her less than her male counterparts since her hiring in 2012, despite her carrying a disproportionately high burden of the workload.
Ackerson said in her filing that university officials retaliated against her after she complained about the situation by reassigning her to a smaller office space and giving her lower performance ratings than she felt she deserved.
In a response filed Friday, the university denied the allegations, admitting only the baseline facts of the case, such as significant dates in Ackerson’s employment history and the titles of faculty members and administrators implicated in the complaint.
