Overview

On October 27, 2020, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee adopted a revised Employment Dispute Resolution (EDR) Plan based on the 2019 Model EDR Plan adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States.

The EDR Plan:

•  Affirms the Judiciary’s commitment to an exemplary workplace, free of discrimination and harassment;
•  Prohibits certain conduct in the Judiciary, called “wrongful conduct,” including discrimination or harassment based on race, color, sex, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age (40 years and over), or disability, and abusive conduct regardless of motivation;
• Provides covered individuals with certain employment protections and rights and both informal and formal ways to resolve disputes with their Employing Office about whether those rights were violated; and
• Prohibits retaliation for reporting or opposing wrongful conduct, or otherwise participating in any of the resolution procedures under the EDR Plan, and retaliation against whistleblowers.

The Judiciary’s goal is to address wrongful conduct as soon as possible and to provide multiple, flexible options for doing so. An Employee is always free to address a conduct issue directly with the person who allegedly committed wrongful conduct or to contact a colleague, supervisor, Unit Executive, Judge, Chief Judge, EDR Contact, human resources professional, or other individual to discuss or address the situation. The EDR Contacts listed below can also provide more information regarding the EDR Plan and available options.

EDR Resources

• TNED Employment Dispute Resolution (EDR) Plan
• Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Notice
• Your Rights in a Federal Judiciary Workplace
• How to Address Wrongful Conduct in the Workplace
• EDR Options for Resolution
• The EDR Formal Complaint Process
• Judicial Conduct and Disability Act Information
• Key Things to Remember About EDR Rights

EDR Contacts

Local Employment Dispute Resolution Coordinators - EDRCs

Chris Field and Dan Thornton will serve as the EDR Coordinators for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Though each EDRC is assigned to a respective area, please reach out to the party with whom you are most comfortable discussing your situation.