Please let us know how you feel working with this law firm. Do not disclose any personal information or details about your case. All opinions submitted will be shared with the law firm prior to publication. Mary had lost all hope. The COVID-19 shutdown has affected every aspect of her family`s life. She applied for disability when the offices closed and, because she spoke Spanish, the instructions were difficult. Her husband alternately had no job or not enough work. Her two children were at home, studying with health problems and learning disabilities that were taking up a lot of time. They were hungry and late at the back of the rent.
Then her family benefits stopped until she could certify her documents again! Luckily, Maria found Open Hands and the legal team got to work. Maria was in contact with food banks and transportation to bring everything home. The team helped her through the recertification process and Maria kept her benefits, especially for food. Our legal director helped Maria apply for rent relief (a complex process that took over four hours), and the fear of losing her home ended. Mary, like many of us, initially struggled to ask for help. His family had worked for everything and they weren`t looking for much. The problem for Maria and all our guests is that in difficult times there was nothing to rely on. Psalm 121 reminds us: “I look up at the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. At Open Hands, we are happy to solve clients` legal burdens and remind them to ask God for help – always.
Now, Maria has hope and is supported by the continued support of Open Hands. Chris Williams, executive director of Chicago`s Working Hands Legal Clinic, which led efforts to pass the law, told The Associated Press that the bill particularly benefits the most vulnerable: low-wage temporary workers and immigrants. Low-wage workers are often paid in cash, making registration difficult, and some undocumented workers fear reprisals if they speak out. IWJ, led by Executive Director Kim Bobo, is at the forefront of efforts to end wage theft. IWJ is organizing a national day of action against wage theft on November 18 to raise awareness of the issue and how workers and communities have fought back. If your work centre, local union or advocacy group met on the 18th. November would like to organize an event and coordinate with IWJ, contact Smukler at tsmukler@iwj.org. A recent study found that low-wage workers in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are routinely denied adequate overtime pay and are often paid less than minimum wage. The Illinois law is part of a growing national focus aimed at curbing the wage theft epidemic. In April, US Labor Secretary Hilda Solis unveiled a new campaign to inform workers of their wage rights and end wage theft. The new law, which experts say is the toughest law against wage theft in the country, comes into force on January 1, 2011. It also gives workers more rights to ensure they get what they deserve.
When viewing an ad, consider the government advertising restrictions that lawyers and law firms must comply with, as well as our legal directory disclaimer FindLaw.com. Some lawyers publish comparative information about the services they offer, which may be subject to specific comparative disclosure restrictions. By submitting this form, you agree to receive email communications from FindLaw regarding the management of your notice. How would you rate your overall experience with this company? Ms. S – The story of a long journey with a beautiful ending. Earlier this year, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved a statewide order on wage theft. Several states, including New York, Washington state, Massachusetts and New Mexico, have toughened penalties for employers who steal workers` wages, Smukler said. The new law gives the state Labor Department more oversight over how to handle the more than 10,000 wage theft lawsuits it receives each year. The department has the authority to adjudicate claims of $3,000 or less directly.
James Parks had his first meeting with the unions at Gannett`s newspaper in Cincinnati, while his colleagues in the newsroom were trying to organize a newspaper guild unit. He has seen first-hand how companies are doing everything they can to prevent workers from forming a union. He is a journalist by profession and worked for newspapers in five different states before joining the AFL-CIO team in 1990. He has also been a seminary student, addiction counselor, community organizer, event planner, associate professor, and district bureaucrat. The proudest moment in his career, however, was when, along with other union members and employees, he served as an official observer to South Africa`s first multiracial elections. Photo of the author by Joe Kekeris Such laws, passed in Illinois and other states, are important because they help build momentum for national policy, says Ted Smukler, director of public policy at Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ). If the law is managed properly, it would help workers get justice faster than the current system, he said. 77 West Washington StreetSuite 1402 Chicago, IL 60602 Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the rating Illinois employers who do not pay or do not pay their employees will be charged with repeated violations and, in any case, will be required to reimburse wages plus interest and fines under a new law signed into law last week by Gov.
Pat Quinn (D).