Washington - The American Association of University Women Legal Advocacy Fund announces an important victory in the ongoing battle for pay equity, with an appellate court decision against George Washington University.
“This win is particularly striking coming on the heels of the Ledbetter case,” said Lauren Kamnik, director of the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund. “However, while Dr. Violand prevailed on the merits of her case on appeal, she only narrowly avoided Lily Ledbetter’s fate because GWU failed to assert the statute of limitations on Violand’s pay discrimination claim. This situation must be rectified by Congress.”
Laura Violand, Director of Medical Center Advancement at George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. sued GWU for pay inequity in violation of the D.C. Human Rights Law. Violand, who holds a doctorate of education from GWU, has been employed by the university in many capacities since 1978.
In December 1997, Violand began a position as assistant director of medical development with a grade level 17 salary. At that time, a male colleague, the director of major gifts at the medical center who was hired in 1995, maintained a grade level 24 salary. Violand alleged that during her employment as assistant director of medical development, she was performing equal work with the director of major gifts in cultivating, soliciting and closing major and outright gifts. She claimed that her work at GWU required equal skill, effort and responsibility as the work performed by her male colleague and that their work was performed under similar working conditions. Further, she maintained that her performance, in fact, exceeded that of her male comparator’s.
A jury found that the university violated the law and awarded Violand $280,955 in back pay damages plus interest. GWU appealed the decision, but on September 20, 2007, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment of the trial court.
“The decision is a reaffirmation of respect for the significant role performed by a jury in civil rights cases,” asserted Robert Bell, attorney for Violand. “This case is a major victory in the continuing quest for equal justice under law for all.”
“The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund applauds the Appellate decision”, Kamnik added. “Wage discrimination continues to exist and the results are far-reaching. It is time for Congress to act to guarantee that all workers, including women, are treated equally.”
The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund adopted the case in May 2005 and has provided over $5,000 in financial support.
Learn more about pay equity on campus.
View the full case summary of Violand v. George Washington University.
Interviews are available with AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund Director Lauren Kamnik on this and other cases. Contact Samantha Slater, Sr. Media Relations & Marketing Associate at slaters@aauw.org or (202) 785-7738. Or AAUW Director of Communications Ashley Carr at carra@aauw.org or 202/785-7745 for more information.
