United States Department of Justice

"No mother's room despite the laws that exist. In fact, DOJ will interpret the laws as THEY see fit to cover their butt. I sat around the corner from the Attorney General and I was told by my supervisor to pump in the bathroom to which I responded that there were breastfeeding laws. She then suggested a library room across the hall from my office with a door that did not lock and I did not feel comfortable. When I escalated the matter with the deputies, I was told to ask someone for permission to pump in their office but I said that may not be realistic depending on the work tasks and schedule of the person who's office I would ask. I was told, "well we will figure it out when you come back". Honestly, it was a big source of stress and anxiety for me and made me feel as if I was asking for too much. I was also told to not expect any flexibility as a working mother either which only added to the anxiety. As soon as I got pregnant, I did not feel supported and had to navigate the difficulties of FMLA after I gave birth (which at the time was unpaid when I gave birth in June 2019). No one even acknowledged me after I gave birth so I had no support from my office and coworkers and no motivation to return. I chose to seek employment elsewhere and so happy I did. Women, there is so much more opportunity elsewhere, DOJ is NOT it!"

"It’s great. Women run everything and can openly discriminate against males. "

"I heard from other female attorneys that maternity isn't great. But, the flex schedule is great and attorneys did not work long hours compared to law firms."

"The Civil division is more flexible with work hours. General Crimes division attorneys work long hours."

"Being a federal employee provides job security. However limited benefits and unsatisfactory pay rate."

"Ask for more when first getting hired; it will affect all future salary negotiations."

"The government is a good place for work-life balance. However, it can be frustrating to deal with a lot of bureaucracy. Also, there is no paid parental leave. Getting FMLA leave is not a problem."

"No paid maternity leave. Sexual harassment may not be dealt with in a way you consider approptiate. Good female role models in leadership positions. Good flexibility when needed and possible."

"Women are treated just as well as men and have every opportunity to advance here in terms of how they are viewed, promoted, and treated. The work itself is endlessly demanding, though, and hard to walk away from even if you have vacation to take. The pay is low relative to other opportunities. There is no paid maternity leave, so women end up using years' worth of vacation and sick time to have babies and never take true sick days or vacation. If you love the work and are okay with close to private-sector hours without private-sector pay, this is an unbelievable jobs for support in your growth and acquiring skills. But it is difficult to manage the workload with young children."