Category: Press Release

We are very pleased to announce that Legal Aid Society–Employment Law Center Senior Staff Attorney Sharon Terman is the recipient of this year’s Stanford Law School Miles L. Rubin Public Interest Award. The Award “recognizes an alumnus/a whose outstanding work has advanced justice and social change in the lives of vulnerable populations.” Sharon’s entire career… Continue reading Sharon Terman Selected for Miles L. Rubin Public Interest Award

Two men from Indonesia filed a federal lawsuit here today alleging that they were induced to pay high recruitment fees to work for a U.S.-based fishing vessel, whose captain mistreated them, isolated them at sea for months at a time, and didn’t pay them according to the terms of their employment contract — much less… Continue reading Fishermen claim human trafficking, horrific conditions on American boat based in San Francisco, Honolulu

The beginning of 2013 saw the enactment of a host of new employment laws in California, some of which strengthen important protections for workers.  Among them is AB 1964, the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012, which went into effect on January 1, 2013.  The bill, introduced by California Assembly Member Mariko Yamada, reinforces the… Continue reading New California Laws Strengthen Worker Protections

After a century of service to low-income people in San Francisco and statewide, Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center is celebrating — and raising funds to help expand our Workers’ Rights Clinic. Actor and social justice activist George Takei will be on hand to receive LAS-ELC’s public service award at the event Thursday at the Hyatt… Continue reading Innovation continues as Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center celebrates 100th anniversary

Current and former employees of Burma Superstar filed a lawsuit today on behalf of about 100 kitchen staff at its chain of restaurants on both sides of San Francisco Bay. They allege the owners failed to pay many workers the minimum wage and routinely denied workers overtime pay, breaks, and sick leave they were due.… Continue reading Workers for popular Burma Superstar restaurants file class action over wages, breaks, sick pay

Today, the University of San Diego (USD) School of Law announced that it launched the Workers’ Rights Clinic, a collaboration with the state-wide Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center. The new Clinic will expand access to free legal advice on employment-related issues for those most in need, low-income workers.  “We are honored that the Employment Law… Continue reading USD School of Law announces new Workers’ Rights Clinic

On June 24th, the United States Supreme Court issued a long awaited opinion on affirmative action in the case of Fisher v. University of Texas, but the ruling did little to change existing law with respect to the use of race as a criterion in university admissions.  In reality it was a non-opinion, as the… Continue reading Supreme Court Rules on Affirmative Action

This past Sunday, November 18th, Senior Staff Attorney and Disability Rights Program Director Claudia Center debated libertarian Cato Institute’s Walter Olson on the value of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  During the debate, entitled “Is the Americans with Disabilities Act a Net Positive for the Workplace and for Society?”, Claudia explained that the ADA provides… Continue reading Claudia Center Debates Cato Institute on the Value of the ADA