QUESTION
Do Adjunct Intructors of Community Colleges have any rights when it comes to being denied promotion.
Asked on Apr 28th, 2014 on Employment Contracts - Kansas
More details to this question:
I have been an adjunct instructor primarily for a small community college in Kansas for 14 years. I have acquired a Master's of Arts in English. My main point is that I believe that Colleges have taken advantage of the situation. Adjuncts are denied any type of benefits, (heath care, retirement, etc.). Many of us have to work at two or even three places just to make ends meet. Some of us, myself included, have had to go on government assistance. We teach three-fifths of what a full-time instructor teaches at each school, yet we get paid a small fraction of what we should. I have seen administrators (with the same level of education or less) get paid quite well. The schools are not lacking; most have state-of-the art equipment. The opportunities for advancement are nil or rarely advertised. I have never heard of anyone internally getting promoted. After fourteen years, I want to know, does an adjunct have any rights, or can I sue for denial of promotion because of my being an adjunct
1 ANSWER
In general, although there are some rights guaranteed by statute (minimum wage, no discriminatin on the basis of race, religion, etc.), your employment rights are governed by the agreement between you (or your union) and your employer. Do you have a contract which specifies the criteria for promotion? Were those criteria violated? Were you discriminated against in the promotion process on the basis of your race, religion, gender, etc.? If not, your employer has no obligation to promote you.
Answered on Apr 29th, 2014 at 4:00 PM