WASHINGTON – A plaintiff supported by the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund, a program of the AAUW Educational Foundation, has settled her sex discrimination lawsuit against Stony Brook University to the mutual satisfaction of all parties.
Sherry Towers, a postdoctoral research scientist employed by the Stony Brook University's physics department until 2005, lost her job after complaining about discriminatory behavior she says was displayed by her immediate supervisor. According to her complaint, Towers's supervisor became hostile toward her when she told him she was pregnant and needed to work fewer hours following the birth of her second child. She alleges that she was effectively fired in retaliation for complaining to the department head.
In December 2004, Towers sued under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, and religion. She also said her rights were violated under the Family and Medical Leave Act. AAUW began supporting her case in 2007.
"This case illustrates a sad truth in America — employers often penalize mothers," said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. "Here is a brilliant woman that, despite her many accomplishments, was eventually forced to abandon her chosen career path simply because she wanted another child."
Towers has an outstanding record of research and academic awards. In 2004, while performing research with the Dzero Experiment, a multi-institutional collaboration of 700 physicists, she discovered evidence of a new particle. She is now in the process of getting her license to teach high school physics and math in Indiana.
In April, Towers, a member of AAUW, addressed the AAUW state convention in Florida. "I believe the support from AAUW was a critical aid in bringing my case to a resolution that was satisfactory to all parties. And I am so grateful for the emotional support of the many AAUW members who took a personal interest in my case," Towers said.
View the full case summary of Towers v. Stony Brook at http://www.aauw.org/advocacy/laf/cases/towersvSUNY.cfm
