Free Workers’ Compensation Clinic in English and Spanish

On January 31, the Workers’ Rights Disability Law Clinic will host a free Workers’ Compensation clinic. Volunteer Workers’ Comp attorneys from Worksafe will provide free counseling on Workers’ Comp issues. Spanish-speaking attorneys will be available. Workers’ Compensation clinic Tuesday, January 31; appointments beginning at 6:30 pm Ed Roberts Campus adjacent to the Asby BART Station… Continue reading Free Workers’ Compensation Clinic in English and Spanish

Federal Judge Denies Government Motion to Dismiss in Defense of Marriage Act Case

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California rejected the federal government’s request to dismiss the constitutional claims of gay and lesbian state workers who, together with their registered domestic partners, are excluded from equal access to California’s Long-Term Care Program. Judge Claudia Wilken issued the ruling in Dragovich v. CalPERS, a… Continue reading Federal Judge Denies Government Motion to Dismiss in Defense of Marriage Act Case

Federal Judge Denies Government Motion to Dismiss in Defense of Marriage Act Case

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California rejected the federal government’s request to dismiss the constitutional claims of gay and lesbian state workers who, together with their registered domestic partners, are excluded from equal access to California’s Long-Term Care Program. Judge Claudia Wilken issued the ruling in Dragovich v. CalPERS, a class… Continue reading Federal Judge Denies Government Motion to Dismiss in Defense of Marriage Act Case

LAS-ELC Welcomes New Staff in Language Rights, Gender Equity, and Communications

The Legal Aid Society–Employment Law Center is very pleased to welcome three new staff members: Marsha Chien, Skadden Fellow in the National Origin, Immigration, and Language Rights Program; Kim Turner, the John and Terry Levin Fellow for the Fair Play for Girls in Sports Project; and Sara Feldman, Communications Manager. We are delighted that Marsha,… Continue reading LAS-ELC Welcomes New Staff in Language Rights, Gender Equity, and Communications

NLRB rules that employees are entitled to bring employment-related claims as class or collective actions, in court or arbitration proceedings

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)—the federal decision-making body that oversees relations between labor unions and private employers—recently declared that employees must be allowed to pursue their workplace grievances through collective or class-wide actions, whether it be through litigation or arbitration.

High School Girl Athletes Win Major Title IX Class Action Case in U.S. District Court Against Sweetwater Union School District

In a potentially precedent-setting decision, Judge James M. Lorenz of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on Thursday ruled in favor of a group of female athletes in a Title IX class action lawsuit against the Sweetwater Union High School District. The judge determined the school district unfairly favored boys’ sports… Continue reading High School Girl Athletes Win Major Title IX Class Action Case in U.S. District Court Against Sweetwater Union School District

Federal Extensions of Unemployment Insurance Benefits Authorized—But Shortened—for Unemployed Californians

Late last month, Congress and President Obama extended federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, previously set to expire at the end of this month, through the end of February 2012. While the renewal of federal UI is a tremendous relief to the approximately 1.1 million Californians who depend on these benefits to survive while looking for… Continue reading Federal Extensions of Unemployment Insurance Benefits Authorized—But Shortened—for Unemployed Californians

Legal Aid Supports Department of Labor Proposal to Strengthen Protections for Domestic Workers; Calls on Administration to Ensure Funding

The U.S. Department of Labor is currently considering proposed regulations that will improve working conditions for domestic workers across the United States. These regulations would place more workers who provide home care to persons with disabilities, including aging person, under the protections of the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). However, the mechanisms for providing in-home… Continue reading Legal Aid Supports Department of Labor Proposal to Strengthen Protections for Domestic Workers; Calls on Administration to Ensure Funding