DC Judges accused of sexual discrimination and other workplace offences

A confidential workplace survey was conducted amongst the DC federal and trials court employees, the results of which were quite shocking, to say the least. The institution that is regarded as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court appears to be riddled with instances of workplace harassment.

The survey details instances of gender discrimination, bullying, and racial insensitivity, while underscoring the stark power imbalance between the judges with life tenure and the assistants who depend on them for career advancements. One federal appeal courts judges have hired only make clerks for the past two decades, another judge refused to speak to an employee for weeks after they had to leave work early one day due to a childcare emergency. Some incidents detail how judges have reduced their employees to tears by yelling or making cruel comments about their work. In interviews following the survey, many former and current employees who've witnessed these incidents firsthand explained their reluctance to file a complaint against their superiors. They cited fears of retaliation and distrust that the federal judiciary's system of workplace accountability, which tasks judges with policing one another will pay little to no heed to resolving their issues. "There is no point in reporting," said one survey respondent "because discipline is nonexistent." 

Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Sri Srinivasan said in his statement that "we aim to maintain a workplace in which we all treat one another, and the members of the public we serve, with respect and dignity". He also added that the employee survey "is an important part of that effort ". 

Source: Washington Post