Two former female Virginia Tech employees who won their lawsuit in April against the university, claiming they were paid less than their male counterparts, plan to appeal the court's decision after a federal judge overturned the jury's verdict.
After a four-day trial in April at the U.S. District Court in Roanoke, Shana Maron and Greta Hanes were awarded $25,000 and $15,000 respectively.
Tech filed a post judgement movement which U.S. District Judge James Turk granted. He determined that the university did in fact pay the women based on their experience and not their gender.
"We're simply pleased with the court's action," said Mark Owczarski, director of news and information. "In the ruling the judge gave, he said in his findings that Tech had acted in good faith in its hiring and salary practices."
Turk ruled Wednesday that evidence presented during the trial favored Tech. He also said the evidence didn’t support Maron’s claim that the university retaliated against her.
Plaintiffs Shana Maron and Getra Hanes, who filed their suits back in 2008, are disappointed, said Nicholas Woodfield, the women's attorney.
"They disagree with the court's ruling, but they're optimistic with their chances based on their reading of the judge's findings," he said. "They think the jury verdict should be upheld."
It is unclear whether or not the two parties involved try to resolve the issue out of the courthouse after the jury voted in favor of two women who sued Tech.
A version of this article appeared in the Jul 1 issue of the Collegiate Times.
Leave a comment 13 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.
How sad to see justice fail for women at Tech- an unjust judge who has made hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to Tech gets to overturn the voice of the people, a corrupt administration- bribes, lies, donations- Tech will fall in appeals.
Reply to this Top
It's great to see a frivolous, feminist-agenda driven lawsuit got overturned for once!
Consider:
1. The differences between the salaries of male and female employees in the development department were found not to be statistically significant.
2. Maron was quoted as saying: "I benefited from the fact that I was a woman -- I played that card hard."
Reply to this Top
I'm not sure this is a frivolous or feminist-driven issue-this case has quite a bit of merit to it- and apparently a jury thought so too.
So sorry to hear about the judge, but he's tightly integrated within the University-- of course he had to overturn the jury or he'd lose his season tickets...
Top
I don't think this is a feminist issue at all- it's an issue of unequal pay between genders at the University, which we all know has been happening as long as Tech has had employees- in any case, unequal pay between men and women effects families, not just women alone.
Top
I agree with you, what is the point of a trial by jury if a judge can overule the jury in the end anyway?
Reply to this Top
or maybe he just thought the jury was biased and the facts were there to prove otherwise. maybe the jury was all women and there weren't able to comprehend the wage calculation system in place by VT.
Top
And there you have it folks- this person just made these women's point precisely.
In assuming, and I quote, "maybe the jury was all women and they weren't able to comprehend..." would you also surmise that, because they were all women, they then deserve less pay than their male colleagues for equal work? What a biggoted comment...
Welcome to the problem- you are it.
Top
No, but I would assume that they don't know how to spell "bigoted" or use the word "effects" correctly, as the above comments show.
Top
@anon, to answer your question, no. would any woman ever disagree to the following statement regardless of facts presented to the contrary: a man and a woman have the same job title therefore both do "equal" work. (the answer of course is no). and as to whether or not it is comprehension, you're right my bad, maybe it was their general lack of rationality.
Top
First I have to agree with the person who brought up the quote about "playing up being a woman"
Second...How can though I know that unequal pay does happen at VT, this suit was brought (if you read it) up because Maron asked to be paid the same amount as the last person to hold the position. There are not many jobs that will pay you the same as the person leaving UNLESS you out qualify them. In this case, I don't think she did. Her salary looked to be comparable to others in that singular position from what they showed.
Reply to this Top
just chick tryna make a buck.
Reply to this Top
Um... you are wrong. This is an issue of exposing and changing a corrupt, blatantly discriminating administration- it is about making Tech a better place for women and their families- for all employees who are subject to discrimination for that matter, as discrimination has no boundaries and it hurts everyone... what this woman has lost in pursuing this matter before the federal court system can never and will never be recovered. A change in administrative policies at the university and a better, more fair work evironment for women at Tech, however, is absolutely priceless.
Top
instead of making some general populous claim why don't you attempt to support your arguments with some valid facts. currently you come across as a feminist hack who thinks potential victims are actual victims all of the time.
Top