DISCRIMINATION AND HARRASSMENT
FEDERAL: EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (EEOC)
Charges accepted: race; color; national origin; disability; gender; religion; pregnancy; marital status; age.
Workplace must have 15+ employees. By appointment.
STATE: DEPARTMENT OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING (DFEH)
Charges accepted: race; color; national origin; ancestry; disability; gender; age; religion; pregnancy; marital status; medical condition (cancer); family/medical leave.
Workplace must have 5+ employees for discrimination; no minimum size for harassment. By appointment.
STATE: "LABOR COMMISSIONER" (DEPT. OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS,
DIVISION OF LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT, OR DLSE)
Charges accepted: Unequal pay based on gender; retaliation for reporting a safety violation, or for filing a wage claim.
Workplace must have 5+ employees.
FEDERAL: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WAGE & HOUR DIVISION
Charges accepted: family/medical leave.
MUNICIPAL (S.F.): HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Charges accepted: sexual orientation; HIV/AIDS/ARC. Staff investigates and attempts to mediate/resolve charges; provides counseling and technical assistance.
FEDERAL: DEPT. OF LABOR, OFFICE OF FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
Charges accepted: EEO noncompliance by federal contractors.
FEDERAL: DEPT. OF JUSTICE, CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, CAL. NO. DISTRICT
Charges accepted: Discrimination involving force or threats of force; racial violence; slavery. Callers generally referred to "Civil Rights Hotline" in D.C.: (202) 514-3204.
FEDERAL: DEPT. OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
Charges accepted: Discrimination in federally-funded education programs and institutions on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability.
FEDERAL: DEPT. OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
Charges accepted: Discrimination in federally-funded health and human services programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. Covered programs include: hospitals, nursing homes, social service programs, welfare agencies.
back to top
WAGE & HOUR VIOLATIONS/COBRA
STATE: "LABOR COMMISSIONER" (DEPT. OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS,
DIVISION OF LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT, or DLSE)
Claims accepted: Unpaid regular wages, overtime, vacation or bonuses (including improper exemption from overtime or classification as contractor); minimum wage violations; improper deduction or withholding practices; child labor.
STATE: DEPT. OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, DIVISION OF LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT, BUREAU OF FIELD ENFORCEMENT
Claims accepted: Wage & hour violations by employer, usually filed on behalf of a group of employees.
FEDERAL: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WAGE & HOUR DIVISION
Claims accepted: Minimum wage violations; unpaid wages and overtime; child labor; record keeping violations; retaliation for filing DOL claim; improper deductions.
Work must involve "interstate commerce." Employer may also have to meet Gross Sales test.
FEDERAL: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, PENSION & WELFARE BENEFITS ADMIN.
Claims accepted: COBRA (continuing health benefits) violations, ERISA- and pension-related violations.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE/DISABILITY INSURANCE
STATE: EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (EDD)
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
STATE: DEPT. OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, DIVISION OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION, INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE BUREAU
STATE: WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD
HEALTH and SAFETY
STATE: DEPT. OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (CAL-OSHA)
FEDERAL: OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Handles complaints from federal employees about workplace safety conditions and claims of retaliation for filing a complaint.
FEDERAL: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
back to top
UNION MATTERS
FEDERAL: NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD (NLRB)
Claims accepted: Private employment union problems; collective bargaining contracts; duty of fair representation; union certification; changing unions; picket lines; discrimination related to union and organizing activities (No public employees).
STATE: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BOARD (PERB)
Claims accepted (State and Local public employees only): Union problems, particularly within the California school system; union election oversight; arbitration; mediation of unfair labor practices.
PENSION and HEALTH BENEFITS
Federal: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR-PENSION AND WELFARE BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION (PWBA)
LAWYER REFERRAL (County Bar Association Services)
ALAMEDA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
Refers only discrimination or harassment cases with a right-to sue letter from DFEH or EEOC. No discrimination or harassment cases.
BAR ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
The Bar Association has panels for three types of employment-related legal problems: Employer-employee disputes/ Civil Service disputes, Title VII discrimination, and wrongful discharge.
SANTA CLARA BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
Takes cases only where the employee has been working with employer 3 years or more.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
Referrals for employer-employee, discrimination, and wrongful discharge cases.
MARIN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
PALO ALTO BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
SAN MATEO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
back to top
LAWYER REFERRAL (Private Lawyer Referral Services)
AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL
Serves people with AIDS, ARC, and HIV-positive status and their partners and family members. The Panel will listen to all requests, provide free consultations, do simple wills, powers of attorney and medical directives without charge.
DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE FUND
COUNTY LEGAL AID OFFICES
BAY AREA LEGAL AID--San Francisco
Law: Public benefits, consumer, housing, domestic violence, unemployment benefits, child custody, housing, etc.
BAY AREA LEGAL AID--Santa Clara
Law: landlord/tenant, custody and visitation, restraining order clinic.
ASIAN LAW ALLIANCE
Law: employment, housing, domestic violence, immigration.
CALIFORNIA RURAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE
Law: housing, education, employment, wage claims, SSI overpayment.
BAY AREA LEGAL AID-Alameda County
Law: Eviction defense, welfare, unemployment, custody and some other family law, SSI appeals, public housing issues, wage claims.
EAST BAY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER
Law: Eviction defense, welfare, unemployment, SSI appeals, public housing issues.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR SENIORS
Law: Elder abuse, incapacity problems, landlord/tenant, long-term care, benefits.
BAY AREA LEGAL AID-Contra Costa
Law: Government benefits, health, housing and uncontested dissolutions.
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF SAN MATEO COUNTY
Law: Consumer, domestic relations, education, housing, welfare.
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
back to top
PRIVATE & NON-PROFIT AGENCIES
ASIAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN'S ADVOCATES
Know-your-rights education, workplace leadership training and ESL classes for monolingual Asian women working in the electronics assembly, food preparation and hotel cleaning industries.
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (ACLU)
The ACLU is not a legal aid-type office. Focus is on impact litigation, cases raising civil liberties/civil rights issues, constitutional test cases with a potential impact on large numbers of people, some class actions.
API Legal Outreach
Limited advice and referral in employment; target is monolingual Asian women. Family law, domestic violence, landlord/ tenant, consumer, immigration, sponsorship of relatives), public benefits, administrative.
ASIAN LAW CAUCUS, INC.
Employment/labor cases; wage claims, plant closures, employment discrimination.
CALIFORNIA INDIAN LEGAL SERVICES
COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
The Coalition (CIRRS) is made up of 80 legal assistance, social service, immigrant and refugee rights groups whose goal is to coordinate and insure fair implementation of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA); provide public education re: IRCA and other immigration issues to defend the rights of and coordinate services for all documented and undocumented immigrants and refugees; and to monitor and respond to instances of discrimination.
DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE FUND
Discrimination based on disability; special education, primarily integration.
EQUAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES, INC.
Pay equity, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, access to non-traditional jobs. Impact cases only, though some direct services by students.
LA RAZA CENTRO LEGAL
Wage and hour claims, employment discrimination, wrongful termination. Focus on day laborers and undocumented workers. Worker's Rights Clinic and Housing and Govt. Benefits clinic.
LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP)
Referrals for discrimination cases; some counseling. Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. NAACP handles discrimination cases, housing, employment and police brutality.
PRO BONO PROJECT OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
Locates pro-bono attorneys for Workers' Rights Clinic cases with legal merit filed in Santa Clara County.
PUBLIC ADVOCATES
Class action lawsuits.
back to top
JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE-General
CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (EDD)
Services: "Experience Unlimited," provides access to computers fax machines and a variety of job listings.
BAY AREA URBAN LEAGUE
Services: Employment listings and placement. Some offices have job training programs, alternative education programs and AIDS education.
CHINESE FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
ASBESTOS VICTIMS OF AMERICA
Support, medical & legal referrals, public education. Telephone: 831-440-0282, Email: hrb_ava@pacbell.net.
LABOR AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM (LOHP)
Video Tapes and Publications in Spanish and English on worker health and safety. LOHP visits the workplace and makes recommendations for how to comply with OSHA standards.
UCSF CENTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE
Medical exam for on-the-job injury or illness. Call for appointment 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
|
