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Washington Adjuncts Settle Over Retirement Benefits
A Washington state court has tentatively approved a settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by adjunct instructors at the state’s community and technical colleges over retirement benefits. The lawsuit, Mader v. State of Washington,was brought by part-time faculty members who contended that the state deprived them of retirement benefits for which they were eligible by undercounting the hours they worked. In calculating the eligibility of part-time faculty for the benefits, the colleges counted only classroom hours, and not those spent preparing for class or grading. Both types of work were counted for full-time faculty members. The state denies wrongdoing.
According to the terms of the settlement, $8.3 million will be divided and deposited into retirement accounts for the benefit of eligible individuals who now work as contingent faculty at Washington community and technical colleges, or who were so employed during specified periods in the past and meet certain conditions. The plaintiffs who brought the suit on behalf of the class will receive additional payments of about $33,000 each. Final approval of the settlement is on hold while state officials investigate complaints lodged by some part-time faculty members who say they were not properly notified about the settlement.
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