Policy Advocacy

NCLEJ promotes polices that support individuals and families in their efforts to move out of poverty by securing decent jobs and that support those who are unable to participate in the workforce. Using our expertise, we advocate for the policies and programs that are creative and effective in achieving this goal.

Examples of our recent advocacy work include:

• Together with the Legal Aid Society and the Urban Justice Center, we released a report showing the difficulties low-wage workers face in collecting their stolen wages and advocating for the passage of the SWEAT bill (A5501) to create a wage lien in New York State. “Empty Judgments: The Wage Collection Crisis in New York” details how unscrupulous employers often evade paying wage judgments, even when they have been ordered to by a court or the Department of Labor. Read the report.
• In Kentucky, Georgia, Washington, and California, we have delivered state-specific webinars to advocates in legal services and disability rights to inform them on the basic coverages of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws, and how they can be used on behalf of clients who are navigating the public benefits system.
• The Ulster County, New York Sheriff’s Office began running criminal warrant checks on all visitors to the County Department of Social Services in October 2014. Along with the New York Civil Liberties Union, we wrote to county officials demanding that they rescind this unlawful policy, which discourages people from seeking assistance. In November 2014, the Sheriff agreed to suspend the warrant check practice in response to our demands. Read more.
• On behalf of the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops, we sent a demand letter to the New York State Department of Labor to thoroughly and promptly investigate its unacceptable backlog of cases. Since then, backlog has been reduced dramatically and the DOL has implemented monthly meetings with advocates to address their concerns. Read the press release.