
Quoting
wkempster
I wonder whether anyone could help with advice.
I am a faculty member at a University. The full faculty were recently involved in discussions about a new hire with our Dean. Due to various circumstances that would take too long to go into the Dean needed to get faculty approval to hire a new faculty member at a salary above that being made by a current faculty member, and virtually the same as various others who already had 6 - 15 years experience and were tenured.
This all took place within the context of contract negotiations with the union that are presently unresolved. So, the hyperthetical question was raised with the Dean that forshadowed the new person - AFTER the Union contract being finalised - STILL being paid more than a current tenured faculty member.
The Dean at this stage said this situation would be "untenable" and that she would "make sure" this did not happen.
As things turned out, the faculty - largely on the strength of these promises - agreed to the salary figure being discussed and gave the Dean the go ahead.
Long story short, in negotiations with the candidate a figure $3k MORE than the figure discussed with the faculty was offered, and what is more, the Dean now DENIED she made the verbal promise to the faculty that "no one would be paid less than the new hire" after the Contract negotiations were completed.
EVERY witness at that meeting - even the ones who always side with the Dean/Employer agree she DID in fact make this promise.
Further, the Dean is CURRENTY EMPOWERED to offer exactly this.
The question is, with all these corroborating witnesses, do we have a case for breach of verbal contract here?