• August 26, 2024

      Â鶹´«Ã½ on Equal Pay Lawsuit

      Dear Â鶹´«Ã½ Community,

      In our last update about the equal pay lawsuit, we shared that the judge decertified the collective action, eliminating all plaintiffs except for the two who are specifically named, Ms. Dawn Marinello and Ms. Rebecca Cartee-Haring.

      Post-trial, the plaintiffs asserted that the judge inappropriately decertified the case; the judge has rejected that assertion and has commented that the case will only proceed with the two named plaintiffs if, within 30 days, they each identify a valid male comparator who they assert received more pay without appropriate reasons. In his order, the judge noted that the court has rejected the notion that all male teachers are valid comparators for all female teachers. He further noted that staff such as nurses, counselors, and psychologists are not comparators for teachers.

      We will continue to keep you informed on any developments. We remain committed to an inclusive educational environment where all people are treated with respect and dignity.

      Sincerely,

      The Â鶹´«Ã½ Bucks School District School Board
      Karen Smith, Board President 
      Robert Dugger 
      Dana Foley 
      Susan Gibson 
      James Pepper 
      Heather Reynolds 
      Jenine Zdanowicz

      This message was emailed to Â鶹´«Ã½ staff and families on August 26, 2024.


      August 2, 2024

      Â鶹´«Ã½ on Equal Pay Lawsuit: Court Decertifies Class Action Suit

       
      Dear Â鶹´«Ã½ Community,?
       
      On Tuesday, we shared that the jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was unable to reach consensus on a verdict in the collective action employment discrimination lawsuit brought against Â鶹´«Ã½ in 2021. The plaintiffs (approximately 320 current and former female employees) alleged that the district violated the Equal Pay Act (EPA) by not compensating them on the same level as current or former male employees.
       
      According to the EPA, plaintiffs can prove discrimination if employees who are similarly situated (i.e., their work requires the same effort, skill, and responsibility) are compensated differently based on their gender. Today, the court issued an order decertifying the collective action suit, citing that the jury was unable to come to a unanimous verdict and that it was clear that all plaintiffs are not similarly situated. The order also states that individual plaintiffs may initiate their own lawsuits if they believe that they can prove that their claims are not barred by the statute of limitations.
       
      We reiterate our commitment to refining and enhancing our hiring practices, just as we seek to continually improve in all areas of operations. We also once again wish to underscore how much we value and respect all of our employees.
       
      Sincerely,
       
      Karen Smith, School Board President 
      Dr. Mariam Mahmud, School Board Vice President 
      Rob Dugger 
      Dana Foley 
      Susan Gibson 
      Jim Pepper 
      Heather Reynolds 
      Jenine Zdanowicz
       
      This message was emailed to Â鶹´«Ã½ staff and families on August 2, 2024.


      July 30, 2024

      Â鶹´«Ã½ on Equal Pay Lawsuit: Jury Unable to Reach Consensus

      Dear Â鶹´«Ã½ Community,?

      We hope you have been enjoying your summer. We write to share a significant update about an employment discrimination lawsuit the district has been involved in since 2021.?Today, a jury in the?U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania?was unable to reach consensus on a verdict in this case, resulting in a hung jury.

      The absence of a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs – approximately 320 current and former female employees who claimed the district violated the Equal Pay Act by not compensating them on the same level as current or former male employees – or the district means that the case may be litigated again in the future. The district?asserted and continues to assert that no employees are compensated or treated differently based on sex or any other factor related to their identity.?

      We remain committed to refining and enhancing our hiring practices, just as we seek to continually improve in all areas of operations. We also wish to express how greatly we value and respect the more than 3,000 teachers, staff members and administrators who educate and care for the approximately 17,000 students across our 23 schools. Their work is essential to developing and sustaining the excellent educational and extracurricular experience we strive to provide at Â鶹´«Ã½, and we are immensely grateful for their dedication to our students and schools.?

      We also appreciate and thank our families for their support and for being a part of our district community.?

      Sincerely,?

      Karen Smith, School Board President
      Dr. Mariam Mahmud, School Board Vice President
      Rob Dugger
      Dana Foley
      Susan Gibson
      Jim Pepper
      Heather Reynolds
      Jenine Zdanowicz

      This message was emailed to Â鶹´«Ã½ staff and families on July 30, 2024.