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October 1, 2020

Federal Worker Files Suit Challenging Systemic Injustice

On September 23, 2020, attorneys at McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP filed a Complaint in the Eastern District of North Carolina on behalf of a federal corrections officer at FCC Butner in North Carolina, against the United States and the US Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons.
Home » News » Federal Worker Files Suit Challenging Systemic Injustice

Thu, 10/01/2020

On September 23, 2020, attorneys at McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP filed a Complaint in the Eastern District of North Carolina on behalf of a federal corrections officer at FCC Butner in North Carolina, against the United States and the US Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons.

Ms. Woodford’s case highlights the incredible difficulties that federal workers face in vindicating their rights to work in environments free from harassment and discrimination. After years of enduring sexual assault and continued sexual harassment at the hands of her supervisor, Ms. Woodford voiced her complaints to an officer at FCC Butner – someone whose very job was to conduct internal investigations. Only then did she learn that not only did this supervisor have a history of sexual harassment and retaliation against female officers, but management officials at FCC Butner have known about his abuses for years. Her worst fears became true when her harasser maintained his position and spearhead retaliation against Ms. Woodford for voicing her complaints.

From the impossible window of 45 days to report discrimination (the strict timeline only for federal workers), which is often barely enough time for a survivor to even perceive and process their experience, to the personal immunity that most harassers enjoy as federal employees themselves, Ms. Woodford’s stand against injustice challenges the impunity with which harassers in the federal sector operate across the country. For these reasons, McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP is proud to represent Ms. Woodford in her fight, and proud to have the support of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund in Ms. Woodford’s case.

In sharing Ms. Woodford’s story, we aim to facilitate dialogue, and most importantly action, surrounding this widespread institutionalized crisis and that it may inform fellow survivors that remedies following sexual harassment and assault in the federal sector are attainable.

Disclaimer

This post is for attorney advertising and informational purposes only. Nothing in this post should be construed as legal advice or as creating an attorney-client relationship with McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP or its attorneys. Although McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP seeks to help employees recover backpay and liquidated damages for unpaid overtime work, it cannot guarantee that any potential client in this matter will in fact recover any amount of money. Nothing in this post should be read to contain a promise or guarantee of success on the merits of this pending claim, nor should it create any expectation that joining the lawsuit will result in financial gain. McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP is a Washington, D.C. based law firm located at 1101 Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20005. For any questions related to this post, please call (202) 833-8855 or email at otpay@wmlaborlaw.com.

Legal Representation for All Workers

When McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP decides to take your case, it is because we believe there is an unacceptable workplace violation that has negatively impacted you or resulted in your employer paying less than what the law requires and which we have a reasonable chance of remedying. We recognize that meritorious claims should not go unremedied because of the level of a person’s resources.

To ensure accessible and available legal representation for all our clients, MSE handles cases through different forms of fee arrangements, including contingency fees, hourly fees and fixed fees.

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