Central Bucks human resources director placed on 'indefinite leave'
Central Bucks School District has put its head of human resources on indefinite paid leave of absence, according to a staff email Thursday.
A copy of the email provided to this news organization by sources within the district says Andrea DiDio-Hauber was placed on leave and “is to have no contact with any district employee through any medium whatsoever.”
A specific reason for DiDio-Hauber’s leave was not included in the employee email.
The internal communication sent from Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh comes just weeks after a federal judge questioned testimony DiDio-Hauber gave in a potential collective action lawsuit against the district for alleged pay discrimination.
This news organization published a report on the hearing, including DiDio-Hauber's testimony, Wednesday night.
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The lawsuits brought by Dawn Marinello and Rebecca Cartee-Haring, which now have been consolidated into one suit, include numerous examples of men and women hired to fill various teaching positions, and alleges that the male teachers were often given credit for past experience when women were not.
During the hearing, DiDio-Hauber testified that the district did have a policy in place to review salary placement for teachers. Yet U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania Judge Michael M. Baylson said he doubted the validity of that salary review process.
“I really find that lacking in either credibility or lacking in reality, because it doesn’t take a federal lawsuit to require a school district to institute a review program for people who have claims that they’re not getting paid fairly based on their gender,” Baylson said.
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This news organization reached out to Central Bucks spokeswoman Angela Linch to confirm the validity of the email and for comment.
Kevin Shinkle, of Philadelphia-based Devine + Partners public relations firm, responded in a phone call confirming the email was accurate but that the district could not comment further on personnel matters.
Shinkle confirmed Thursday that the email was sent to administrators in the district.
While the district could not specify the reason for DiDio-Hauber's leave, Shinkle added Friday that Central Bucks could say officially that it was not connected to the lawsuit in any way.
Marinello, a teacher, said she believes DiDio-Hauber’s absence is related to her testimony at the hearing.
“It’s absolutely related to this. There’s no doubt,” Marinello said.
In addition to being the head of human resources in CBSD for almost nine years, DiDio-Hauber was named Central Bucks' chief of staff during a school board meeting in May at a salary of $200,053 for both positions.
May 10 meeting minutes show School Board Director Karen Smith attempted to block DiDio-Hauber’s new position by including a motion to remove her name from a list of appointments the board was voting on. Board Director Dr. Mariam Mahmud seconded the motion, but it failed in a 7-2 vote.
While a heated exchange followed the vote by Director Jim Pepper asking for an explanation, Smith did not explain specifically why she was opposed to DiDio-Hauber’s promotion.
Smith said she could not comment on personnel matters Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks human resources head placed on paid leave
