Washington –  The federal judiciary’s national policy making body recently approved a new model employment dispute resolution plan that will simplify and expand the options for addressing wrongful workplace conduct. 

The revised model EDR plan, adopted Sept. 17 by the Judicial Conference of the United States, is the latest step in the judiciary’s continued commitment to establishing and maintaining an exemplary workplace. The new plan includes definitions and examples of wrongful conduct; three flexible options for resolving conduct issues; flowcharts that explain EDR rights and options; and training requirements for EDR coordinators and judiciary employees. The model EDR plan was recommended by a Judicial Conference committee, which considered a draft prepared by a judiciary working group following a judiciary-wide comment period.

Many of the provisions included in the new model EDR plan are based on recommendations made by the Federal Judiciary Workplace Conduct Working Group, which submitted a report to the Judicial Conference in June 2018. The group evaluated standards of conduct and procedures to identify and address workplace conduct issues. Its recommendations included:

• Adopting clear and consistent workplace conduct policies;

• Offering additional avenues to report misconduct; and

• Providing more workplace conduct training.

In March 2019, the Judicial Conference amended the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges; the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees; and the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act Rules. This resulted in implementation of many of the group’s recommendations.