Long Beach Community College District to Pay $18 Million in Adjunct Pay Settlement

More Than 1,450 Part-Time Professors Set to Receive Compensation

Los Angeles — The Long Beach Community College District has agreed to pay $18 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by more than 1,450 part-time professors who say they were required to work unpaid hours outside the classroom. The payments would compensate adjunct faculty for grading, meeting with students, preparing lessons and completing other duties the lawsuit said were not covered by their existing pay.

The district’s board approved the settlement quietly last month. It will take effect only if a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge signs off. A hearing before Judge Stuart Rice is scheduled for July 1.

Adjuncts Said They Worked Without Pay

Adjunct professors, often referred to as part-timers, argued the district violated state law by failing to compensate them for essential work completed outside scheduled class time. Last year, Rice ruled the professors were entitled to the pay they sought. In that ruling, he said he found “a myriad of problems” with the district’s argument that its practices complied with the law.

The case has already influenced negotiations at other community college districts, according to plaintiffs’ attorney Eileen B. Goldsmith. She said some districts around the state have begun addressing contract language to ensure pay for prep and grading time — issues adjuncts have pushed for over many years.

District Says Settlement Manages Risk

A district spokesperson, Stacey Toda, told the Long Beach Post that the college system recently set aside $20 million for the settlement and related costs. In an email, Toda said resolving the case allows the district to “avoid prolonged litigation and manage risk responsibly, consistent with standard practices across public higher education.”

The settlement’s impact is expected to be significant for part-time faculty who have long criticized the gap between paid teaching hours and unpaid responsibilities.

John Martin, chair of the California Part-Time Faculty Association and an adjunct professor in Shasta and Butte counties, called the settlement “a big deal” and “tremendous.” Martin has been a longtime advocate for adjunct pay reforms and is also a plaintiff in similar lawsuits, including one involving the state Community College system.

Payments Expected to Be Meaningful

Court filings submitted by Goldsmith state that the proposed settlement would distribute more than $11,000 to each of the 1,456 class members. She described the outcome as “a very meaningful result for these class members, particularly given the novel issues in this litigation.”

The Long Beach lawsuit follows years of advocacy over adjunct working conditions. A 2022 investigative series by EdSource examined widespread concerns about uncompensated labor across California’s community colleges, highlighting how part-time faculty often juggle multiple teaching assignments with little job security.

Approval of the settlement would represent one of the largest financial resolutions involving adjunct pay in the state’s community college system.

For now, the decision rests with Judge Rice, who will review the agreement this summer.