An area school district sued by a former principal for alleged employment discrimination has agreed to a settlement in the case.
USD 245 Southern Coffey County has agreed to pay $11,250 and provide “other relief” to settle a lawsuit brought against the district by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of former Gridley Elementary and Southern Coffey County Middle School principal Julie Rosenquist last year.
Rosenquist alleged she was paid $5,000 less than her predecessor when she was hired in 2015. She also said she complained after a year of working with the district and received a $1,500 raise — but when she left in 2017, the district paid her male replacement the same salary as her male predecessor.
USD 245 Superintendent Russ Mildward denies the district violated any laws and also denies Rosenquist’s claim to more compensation, but it decided to settle the case out of court for less than the EEOC’s original demand as a way to save on legal costs and, by extension, taxpayer money.
The settlement says USD 245 cannot engage in any employment practice that pays employees of one gender less than the other in violation of the Equal Pay Act of 1963. USD 245 also agrees to install new policies, conduct district-wide training and take other steps to ensure compliance.
