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“Dear White Staffers” Instagram Brings Awareness to Hill Staffer Pay


In recent days, an anonymous Instagram account has gained traction as the account has put a spotlight on the low pay and poor working conditions of many hill staffers.  (For those unaware of what constitutes a “hill staffer”, this is in reference to the multitude of workers that make up the staff of members of Congress.)

The Instagram account, Dear White Staffers, has been around since 2020 but only recently has it gained infamy for identifying countless reports of low pay, lack of diversity, and grueling hours among hill staffers.  The account posts tales of some hill staffers living off food stamps, barely making enough to live in affordable housing, being on call 24/7 for minimal pay (often averaging out to around $3/hour), and dealing with a toxic workplace culture in Congress (who has apparently led some staffers to seek counseling.)

Perhaps most upsetting for some is the fact that many of the same members of Congress that have pushed for higher pay rates and more conducive work environments are also guilty of offering low pay to their staffers and also failing to take steps to curb a hostile work environment.

Will this anonymous account lead to changes in the work environment for hill staffers?  That remains to be seen.  In the meantime, however, this Instagram account is starting to garner quite a bit of attention.


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