WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE AND SEX-DISCRIMINATION LAW - A FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL JURISPRUDENCE

This article entails a critical analysis of federal sex discrimination law. A feminist perspective is employed to interpret the legal polici es enacted by two federal courts (the U.S. Supreme Court and the Distr ict of Columbia's Court of Appeals) in the 1980s in regard to the work place issues of sexual harassment and sex discrimination in promotion decisions. Specifically, the evaluative criteria of an ethic of care a nd victim empathy is used to gauge the value of federal sex discrimina tion jurisdiction for advancing the interests of women in the workplac e. It is found that the federal courts currently expose legal policy t hat has contradictory and complex implications for women who participa te in the American workforce. Analysis also reveals the value of legal briefs for those who wish to engage in a reconstructive jurisprudence of sex discrimination that is more responsive to the needs of women o n the job.