Legal Aid at Work

We're excited to welcome Erica Zermeno to the team as our Temporary Intake Specialist! Erica Zermeno (she/her/ella) has dedicated her career to advocating for social and economic justice for low wage workers. She studied law and politics with an emphasis on Latin American politics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, then transferred to the UC Sacramento Program to begin her work as an advocate. At LAAW, she direct workers to the appropriate resources by serving the helplines. Erica is bilingual in English and Spanish. Prior to joining LAAW, Erica worked in a legal nonprofit where she developed programs to educate workers about their wage and hour rights and how to enforce them.

Yesterday was a banner evening at the Workers’ Rights Clinic at the LAAW office. Three former Community Legal Services law clerks (from the summer of 2005) reunited to join Mike Gaitley to supervise the UC Law SF students. We are so proud that Matt Peterson, Andrew Lee, and Kirsten Scott?(all pictured here with Mike) have all had such productive legal careers. We are grateful that each returned as a volunteer at the clinic.

This weekend, Governor Newsom signed Senator Maria Elena Durazo's #SB1090, which will allow working families to apply for PFL and SDI benefits in advance! Join us in celebrating this important step toward making it easier for CA workers to care for their loved ones without losing their income! Read our press release: https://loom.ly/OC1H1fQ

????? BREAKING: Yesterday, SF workers, city supervisors, community groups, and a coalition of other advocates, including Legal Aid at Work, announced a local proposal called the Worker Justice Fund, which would provide relief for workers who have been denied their rightful wages. Read the full press release and article from SF Chronicle to learn more. https://loom.ly/ahXFDFU https://loom.ly/uTxk1j4

Today, Legal Aid at Work announces the release of “The Need for Paid Safe Leave & Model Legislative Language.” This new resource is the first product of the Safe Leave Working Group, of which Legal Aid at Work is a proud member. The document provides key context for the importance of paid safe leave and includes model policy language for providing it, which can be used directly or adapted to appropriate policies. The safe leave working group is made up of state, national, and tribal experts and advocates from across policy spaces, based on the principle that paid, protected leave from work is an essential tool for the safety, agency, and economic security of survivors of all types of violence, including gender-based violence and harassment, family and domestic violence, and sexual violence. The Center for American Progress and Futures Without Violence co-chair the working group. https://loom.ly/b8fWjPQ

All workers, including undocumented workers, deserve to fight against wage theft. Yesterday, LAAW and various orgs filed to urge the New Jersey Supreme Court to overturn a recent decision to deny an undocumented worker a wage theft claim due to his immigration status. Read more from our press release: https://loom.ly/JR-UnfI

Great news! Starting in 2025, Californians who take leave for their health, to care for a sick family member, or bond with a new child can get up to 90% of their normal income through PFL or SDI! LAAW's Katie Wutchiett speaks more about this in LAist . https://loom.ly/prRhry8

This #NationalNonprofitDay, we’d like to share our gratitude to our nonprofit partners who partner with us to bring justice on the job for workers. Our work allows us to help more workers through these partnerships.

Conviction histories shouldn’t categorically bar people from jobs. That’s why we’re suing key players in the oil refinement industry for allegedly violating CA’s #FairChanceAct. Proud to partner with @RootandRebound to fight unfair practices that hurt communities of color. Read more: https://loom.ly/_ujxXo4

“I think for a lot of workers, getting fired is the disastrous event that is hard to come back from.” LAAW’s Alexx Campbell talks about his client Roy, who was fired from his job after not receiving adequate ASL interpretation accommodations and getting into an argument from a miscommunication with his coworker. Roy was able to get his job back months later. Watch the full video: https://loom.ly/onIYUzY