CU Boulder will pay $4.5 million in back payments to settle discrimination claim

The University of Colorado will pay $4.5 million and implement a series of salary transparency measures to settle a claim by female faculty members at the Boulder campus alleging gender pay discrimination.

Nearly 400 female faculty members will receive back pay from the university as part of the agreement reached last week. The school also agreed to conduct follow-up equity analyzes every three years; publish the names, job titles, units, and salaries of Boulder faculty on an annual basis to members of the school’s faculty; and maintain a pay transparency database accessible to applicants.

The school conducted an equity review in 2021 and determined that 386 female-identifying faculty members were paid less than male staff members for similar roles, in violation of Colorado’s Equal Pay For Equal Work Act.

After the review, CU gave raises to its female faculty members, but the school failed to pay back wages as required by law, the women alleged in a proposed class action lawsuit filed last week after 10 months negotiating with the university.