Many female court employees attribute increases in their job duties to their gender, and believe they are asked to perform menial and demanding tasks that their male counterparts are not. While sexual harassment is not perceived to be widespread in the workplace, instances of sexual harassment were reported to the Commission. Some female employees reported being subjected to comments about their appearance, as well as to sexist jokes and remarks. Court employees are vulnerable to discrimination due to the lack of uniformity in job titles, and policies for sick or vacation leave. The large number of gender biased discrimination complaints filed in the past two years is cause for concern.
Equal protection is guaranteed by the state constitution.
Review job descriptions to ascertain if job categories accurately reflect the skills and training needed to perform the job. Provide gender-neutral job descriptions and enforce job requirements without regard to gender. Review qualification requirements and salary grades of all non-judicial titles to eliminate gender discrimination. Issue a policy statement to support and require fair pay, fair employment practices, equal access to training, and promotion opportunities for the court employees. Establish and publish policies regarding sexual harassment and a grievance procedure to address complaints.