Educator at Graduate School of Education brings lawsuit against Harvard for payment dispute

Harvard Graduate School of Education adjunct lecturer Kimm Topping has taken legal action against Harvard University by filing a class-action lawsuit in Middlesex County Superior Court. Topping’s lawsuit alleges that Harvard breached its contract and violated the Massachusetts Wage Act by failing to pay her and other adjunct faculty members for all the hours they worked.

According to the lawsuit, Topping claims that adjunct faculty members are only paid for their classroom hours and not compensated for other essential work duties such as preparing lesson plans, grading assignments, responding to student emails, and attending faculty meetings. This unpaid work, which is often done outside of class hours, amounts to a significant portion of adjunct faculty members’ overall workload.

Topping’s lawsuit asserts that this practice not only violates state labor laws but also goes against Harvard’s own policies regarding fair pay for all employees. The lawsuit seeks to recover unpaid wages, as well as damages and legal fees, on behalf of all adjunct faculty members who have faced similar treatment at Harvard.

The issue of fair pay and treatment for adjunct faculty members is a widespread concern in higher education. Adjunct faculty, who are often hired on a part-time, contract basis, make up a significant portion of the academic workforce in colleges and universities across the country. However, many adjunct faculty members face low pay, lack of benefits, job insecurity, and limited opportunities for career advancement.

According to a report by the American Association of University Professors, adjunct faculty members earn significantly less than their tenured counterparts, despite often having the same qualifications and teaching responsibilities. This wage disparity has led to increased scrutiny and criticism of the treatment of adjunct faculty members in higher education.

Topping’s lawsuit against Harvard brings attention to the challenges faced by adjunct faculty members in academia and highlights the importance of fair compensation and working conditions for all employees, including part-time faculty. The outcome of this legal action could have far-reaching implications for adjunct faculty members at Harvard and other institutions, potentially leading to changes in the way these employees are compensated and treated in the future.