Jury Finds NYU Liable in Gender Pay Discrimination Case
Table of Contents
Joining NYU: A Promising Start
Dr. Edelman joined NYU Langone on August 22, 2014. She brought her independent medical practice and took on the roles of staff physician anad adjunct assistant professor. NYU acquired her practice and signed a three-year contract, later extended through December 31, 2020. She consistently exceeded performance standards in patient care and productivity. NYU recognized her work with pay raises, additional staff support, and new responsibilities, including expanding services to a new location in Huntington.
Unfair Treatment Behind the Scenes
Despite her strong track record, Dr. Edelman learned in 2019 that NYU paid her less than male colleagues with similar or fewer responsibilities. These male physicians received higher pay, administrative titles, and dedicated nurse practitioners. Dr. Edelman received none of these benefits. When NYU reassigned her office to a new male hire without notice, she protested. Senior staff responded with sexist remarks and a dismissive attitude. She filed a complaint with HR, which was quickly closed without action. Months later, NYU told her her contract would not be renewed.
Professional Harm and Personal Toll
Following her complaint, NYU restricted her working hours and removed her Wednesday evening patient slots. This led to a loss of patients and disrupted her practice. Male doctors, however, kept their late schedules. Dr. Edelman faced ongoing workplace hostility, reputational harm, and significant emotional distress. NYU’s retaliation eventually ended her long-term role at the institution.
Damages
Dr. Edelman asked for compensation for lost wages, reduced benefits, and emotional damage. She sought back pay, front pay, and both compensatory and punitive damages. She also requested attorneys’ fees, interest, and liquidated damages for NYU’s willful conduct under federal and local law.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff: Dr. Sari Edelman
Counsel for Plaintiff: Jeremy Michael Koufakis | Joseph Martin Labuda
Defendants: NYU Langone Health System | NYU Langone Hospitals | NYU Langone Medical Center | NYU Langone Nassau Rheumatology | NYU School of Medicine | NYU Grossman School of Medicine | NYU Hospitals Center | Andrew T. Rubin | David Kaplan | Joseph Antonik | Joshua Swirnow
Counsel for Defendants: Richard Carl Schoenstein | Richard Lane Steer | Ingrid Julieth Cardona | Justin Y.K. Chu | Tara Toevs Carolan
Legal Claims Filed in Court
Dr. Edelman brought five claims against NYU and key individuals:
Unequal Pay under the EPA: She performed substantially equal work as male colleagues for less pay.
Unequal Pay under NY Labor Law: NYU paid her less without legal justification, violating NYLL § 194.
Retaliation under Title VII: NYU retaliated after she reported sex-based discrimination.
Retaliation under NYSHRL: Her termination followed protected activity under state law.
Retaliation under NYCHRL: NYU’s actions also violated New York City’s anti-discrimination law.
She claimed all actions were intentional and unlawful, and she requested full legal relief.
Defense
The Defendants denied nearly all of Dr. Edelman’s allegations, including claims of unequal pay, discriminatory treatment, and retaliation. They admitted limited facts—such as her hiring date, job title, salary under her first contract, and that she exceeded productivity standards. They also confirmed that she received a contract extension and a raise in 2017, and that she was given six months’ notice of non-renewal in December 2020.
In their affirmative defenses, Defendants argued that the complaint failed to state a valid legal claim. They maintained that any pay differences resulted from legitimate, non-discriminatory factors such as variations in job duties and productivity—not sex. They asserted that some entities named in the lawsuit were not proper legal parties or actual employers. Defendants claimed they acted in good faith, had policies to prevent discrimination, and that Dr. Edelman failed to exhaust administrative remedies or mitigate damages. They asked the court to dismiss the complaint in full.
Jury Verdict
On July 19, 2023, the jury found that Dr. Sari Edelman performed substantially equal work under similar conditions compared to her male colleagues but received lower compensation based, at least in part, on her sex—constituting a violation of the Equal Pay Act. The jury further determined that NYU and individual defendants Andrew T. Rubin, David Kaplan, Joseph Antonik, and Joshua Swirnow discriminated against Dr. Edelman based on gender and retaliated against her after she engaged in protected activity. The jury awarded Dr. Edelman damages for back pay, front pay, and compensation for harm resulting from discriminatory and retaliatory conduct, including sexist remarks and adverse employment decisions.
Court Documents
Court documents are available for purchase upon request at Jurimatic@exlitem.com