A federal appeals court has ruled that Washington's prison system didn't illegally discriminate when it created female-only jobs at women's prisons.
OLYMPIA — A federal appeals court has ruled that Washington’s prison system didn’t illegally discriminate when it created female-only jobs at women’s prisons.
The Olympian reports a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel said Friday that the Department of Corrections had been justified in 2009 when they created jobs specifically for women.
Inmates at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Purdy had alleged male guards assaulted and harassed them, traded contraband for sexual favors and in two cases, impregnated inmates.
During that time, the agency reserved 110 positions for women at Purdy and another correctional facility in Belfair. The Teamsters union sued, saying too many positions had been closed off to men.
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The appeals court said the restrictions were valid to protect the inmates’ safety and privacy.