After a decade of litigation, educators Michelle (Jaureguito) Henley and Laurel Wartluft have successfully settled their cases against Feather River Community College in California. A third LAF-supported plaintiff, Paul Thein, is continuing to pursue the law suit.  All three  filed whistleblower lawsuits in 2006 against Feather River. They alleged that the college violated Title IX by retaliating against them for complaining about sex discrimination, among other claims. All three cases were eventually referred to California’s State Personnel Board. In August 2009, a California State Personnel Board judge issued a decision in favor of all three plaintiffs, ordering their reinstatement and awarding them back pay and damages. Feather River appealed the judge’s decision. After a lengthy appeal, the full State Personnel Board upheld the judge’s 2009 decision in the plaintiffs’ favor. Their cases highlighted Title IX’s important role in protecting faculty and staff who advocate for gender equity.

In January 2016, the plaintiffs in the LAF-supported case Moshak v. University of Tennessee successfully settled their Title IX lawsuit against the university. As part of the settlement, the university will pay more than $1 million.

Jennifer Moshak, Heather Mason, and Collin Schlosser are former employees of the University of Tennessee’s women’s athletic department. In 2012, they filed suit against the university, alleging sex discrimination and unlawful retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The plaintiffs claim they were unlawfully discriminated against and eventually forced out of their positions during a university-led merger of the men’s and women’s athletic departments

Aileen Rizo is a math consultant for the Fresno County Office of Education (FCOE) in Fresno, California. She filed suit against the FCOE under equal pay and gender discrimination laws after discovering she was paid less than her male colleague who had less experience and seniority. The case was originally filed in 2014,

LAF-supported plaintiff Aileen Rizo’s case has survived summary judgment to move ahead to trial. Rizo v. Fresno County Office of Education highlights a significant underlying factor that contributes to the wage gap: employers’ practice of relying on an employee’s prior salary history to set new salary levels. AAUW is proud to support the case through our Legal Advocacy Fund. The trial is scheduled to begin in January.  Watch for further developments.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments in Young v. UPS, a case that could affect the rights of pregnant workers across the country. Peggy Young, a UPS driver, requested temporary light-duty work as a result of pregnancy complications. Although UPS provided light-duty work to other drivers with similar restrictions, the company refused to provide the same accommodation to Young. If the court sides with UPS, it could leave pregnant workers vulnerable to discrimination in the workplace. During the arguments, AAUW and our allies led a rally in support of workplace protections. Check out our Supreme Court preview for more information on Young’s case and others awaiting the court’s decision in 2015.