Education

Professors Sue 2 Local Private Universities Over Inadequate Wages

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Part-time professors at San Diego County’s largest private universities have filed class-action lawsuits against the universities for failing to pay adequate wages. 

Professors at the University of San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene say they were required to complete tasks outside of the classrooms such as class preparation, holding office hours, creating course outlines, and grading exams and papers without getting paid. 

The lawsuits also claim that the universities failed to provide breaks for meals and did not reimburse professors for the time they spent at the semester’s end. 

“From at least four years prior to filing this complaint, through the present, Defendant has adopted and used unfair business practices to reduce Class Members’ compensation and increase profits,” read the lawsuits against the two universities. 

“These unfair business practices include failing to pay Class Members for Non-Teaching time, and for rest break time; failing to authorize and permit timely off-duty rest periods and pay premium pay for missed rest breaks; and failing to provide paid meal breaks and pay premium pay for missed meal breaks.”

Julian Hammond, a Los Angeles attorney filed the first lawsuit against the University of San Diego on Nov. 21 on behalf of English professor Marcelene Senese.

Hammond filed the second lawsuit against Point Loma Nazarene University on Dec. 3 on behalf of Jonathan Veal, a professor of communications.

Both lawsuits allege there are 200 former professors who were not paid proper wages. 

"The University of San Diego does not share specific information with the media about pending litigation. While we disagree with the allegations in the complaint, we will respond to the allegations through the legal process," University of San Diego told NBC 7.

Point Loma Nazarene University said, "PLNU does not have a comment at this time. We don't comment on ongoing litigation - especially as it relates to personnel - due to confidentiality and privacy matters."

Attorney Hammond also did not respond. 

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