AAUW has provided millions of dollars to support hundreds of cases. Learn more about current cases we are supporting.
Current Cases
LAF challenges sex discrimination in higher education and the workplace.
Freyd v. University of Oregon
Jennifer J. Freyd has been a Professor in the University of Oregon’s Psychology Department for more than 30 years and is a national leader in the field of trauma psychology. She is the most senior staff member of University of Oregon’s Psychology Department based on years in rank. Her salary, however, is substantially less than that of several of her less-senior male colleagues.
Jane Doe v. The University of Kentucky
To ensure access to education for women and girls, AAUW advocates for the full protections of Title IX. AAUW’s Legal Advocacy Fund supports this case to reform the sexual assault hearing process on campuses. Currently, alleged assailants have multiple opportunities to re-victimize survivors through the hearings process, under the guise of due process.
Jane Doe, et al v. Howard University
Jane Doe, et al v. Howard University is a case involving six current and former Howard University female students (Jane Does) who reported sexual assaults in 2014, 2015, and 2016. They allege that these assaults were committed by male employees and students at the university.
Portz v. St. Cloud State University et al.
Portz v. St. Cloud State University et al. is a case involving 10 female student athletes who filed a lawsuit against St. Cloud State University (SCSU) and Minnesota State College and University Systems alleging violations of Title IX.
Yovino v. Rizo
In 2012, Rizo says, a male colleague who had recently been hired mentioned that he had been placed at step nine on the county’s 10-step pay scale. Rizo was shocked — she had been placed at step one on the scale when she began her job, even though she understood that she had more experience and seniority than her male colleague. Rizo says that after filing an internal complaint, she was told that the FCOE based new employees’ salaries on just one factor: the employee’s salary history.
Related
Past Cases
Legal Advocacy
We support brave plaintiffs seeking legal redress for Title VII, Title IX, equal pay, sexual harassment, and tenure denial violations and allocate $100,000 annually to help fund landmark cases such as Wal-Mart v. Dukes and Cioca v. Rumsfeld as well as cases with the potential to set future precedents, such as Rizo v. Fresno County Office of Education.
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Legal Advocacy
When you’ve faced difficulty at work or at school, it’s hard to know what to do. Although AAUW cannot provide legal advice or referrals, this information can help you decide what to do next and where to find legal help.
The proposed law would eliminate loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and represent a significant step toward finally closing the pay gap once and for all.