Tens of thousands of federal court employees, including clerks and public defenders, are not covered by landmark civil rights protections, leaving them without recourse for harassment or discrimination on the job.
A group of law students at Emory University in Atlanta is working to change this, recently petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case challenging the internal system the judiciary uses to police itself.
Federal Court Workplace Protections
Unlike most American workers, federal court employees do not have access to independent agencies for help with workplace complaints, and instead must rely on a system that allows judges to oversee complaints against people they know and work with.
Law students Sofia Bettini and Andrew Taramykin, who worked on the Supreme Court petition, say this system is flawed and does not provide the neutral, independent decision-making promised by civil rights law.
The students are working to support a former federal public defender, Caryn Strickland, who says she faced sexual harassment on the job and had nowhere to turn for help.
Implications and Next Steps
The case has significant implications for the 30,000 employees who work for the federal courts, and could lead to changes in the way the judiciary handles workplace complaints.
The Emory law students’ efforts have been praised by Strickland, who says she is proud of the students for taking up her cause and speaking out against the injustices faced by federal court employees.
The outcome of the case could have broader significance, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in the federal courts and the importance of protecting the rights of all workers, regardless of their employer.
