Your Employee Rights and How to Report Wrongful Conduct

The Federal Judiciary, including Federal Public Defender Organizations (FPDOs), is committed to a workplace of respect, civility, fairness, tolerance, and dignity, free of discrimination and harassment. These values are essential to FPDOs, which hold Federal Public Defenders (FPDs) and their Employees to the highest standards. All FPDs and Employees are expected to treat each other accordingly. 

 

This Plan provides options for the reporting and resolution of allegations of wrongful conduct (discrimination, sexual, racial, or other discriminatory harassment, abusive conduct, and retaliation) in the workplace. Early action is the best way to maintain a safe work environment. All FPDOs, FPDs, and Employees have a responsibility to promote workplace civility, prevent harassment or abusive conduct, and to take appropriate action upon receipt of reliable information indicating a likelihood of wrongful conduct under this Plan. See Code of Conduct for Federal Public Defender Employees, Canon 3(C). This Plan is promulgated by the circuit judicial council and United States Court of Appeals (COA) for adoption by each FPD within the circuit, pursuant to their respective authorities under 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(g)(2)(A).

 

This Plan applies to all FPDOs, FPDs, current and former Employees (including all FPDO law clerks and paid and unpaid interns, externs, and other volunteers), and applicants for FPDO employment who have been interviewed. The following persons cannot seek relief under this Plan: FPDs,¹ Criminal Justice Act panel attorneys and applicants, private investigators, retained service providers, community defender employees, volunteer mediators, and any other non-Employees not specified above. See Appendix 1 for full
definitions.

 

FPDO EDR Reps

Judith Mizner
617-391-2248
Judith_Mizner@fd.org

Wade Zolynski
617-391-2261
Wade_Zolynski@fd.org

United States Courts for First Circuit, Director of Workplace Relations

Noelle Stern
Director of Workplace Relations
617-780-4359
noelle_stern@ca1.uscourts.gov

National Office of Judicial Integrity

Michael Henry
Judicial Integrity Officer
202-502-1603
AO_OJI@ao.uscourts.gov

Contact Us
Massachusetts

51 Sleeper Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
Phone: (617) 223-8061

Fax: (617) 334-7991

Massachusetts

1 Federal Street, Building 101, Suite 3W 

Springfield, MA 01105

Phone: (617) 699-3926 

Fax: (617) 334-7991

 

New Hampshire

22 Bridge Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 226-7360
Fax: (603) 665-0053

Rhode Island

10 Weybosset Street, 3rd Floor
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 528-4281
Fax: (401) 867-2814

51 Sleeper St, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210

MA: (617) 223-8061 | NH: (603) 226-7360 | RI: (401) 528-4281

bostondefender@fd.org