Exam supervisors lose out in University of Copenhagen lawsuit

»It is clearly disappointing. Let there be no doubt about it.«

This is how the chair of the exam supervisors, Vilhelm Kent, assesses the verdict handed down on 6 May in the case between 75 former exam supervisors and the University of Copenhagen.

The ruling sided, technically, with the former supervisors — all now retired — and concluded that they had been entitled to employment contracts during their time at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). The university must now pay a total of DKK 552,500 in compensation to the supervisors.

We don’t believe we’ve received anything close to what we were entitled to

Vilhelm Kent, chair of the dismissed exam supervisors

Two of the plaintiffs are to receive DKK 10,000 each, 71 plaintiffs will each receive DKK 7,500, while two receive nothing at all.

The other points of contention in the case — which played out over two days in the Copenhagen City Court — were all decided in the University of Copenhagen’s favour. This is why the total payout is far from the nearly DKK 5 million the supervisors had originally pursued.

»They’ve brushed it all off by more or less just handing each of us DKK 7,500,« says Vilhelm Kent.

READ ALSO: Exam supervisors clash with University of Copenhagen in court

Token consolation

The former exam supervisors finds some solace in the fact that not all rulings went in the University of Copenhagen’s favour.

»We’re getting a small sum, and several of us also received payments prior to the ruling, because UCPH acknowledged that they had messed up. We wouldn’t have seen that money if we hadn’t fought for it,« says Vilhelm Kent.

»But we don’t believe we’ve received anything close to what we were entitled to. And that’s why the result is still disappointing,« he adds.

READ ALSO: Dismissed exam supervisors hit University of Copenhagen with lawsuit

The negotiating committee — made up of six of the former supervisors and that represent all 75 — will now meet with their lawyers to review the verdict and decide on the next steps.

The University of Copenhagen has not previously commented publicly on the case, and declined to do so after the verdict as well, despite requests from the University Post. Instead, the University Post received a written statement from Deputy Director of HR, Thomas Molin, which reads in part:

»Naturally, we are first and foremost pleased that the case has now been concluded, and we hope the verdict puts an end to the matter. As was also stated during the trial, there had been lengthy settlement negotiations between the parties, and UCPH still believes that our settlement offer should have resolved the case. In any event, UCPH is particularly satisfied that the City Court’s ruling has established that exam supervisors are not to be regarded as salaried employees, and that the verdict confirms our position that we are only authorised to cover expenses for which we have legal grounds — in this case, that we are only permitted to pay the hourly rate specified in our legal basis.«