LABOR + CIVIL RIGHTS UNIT
Expanding Justice Through Impact Litigation
CRLAF has a limited capacity to take on legal cases, the majority of which are referred from our Community Outreach Workers and other advocates in the field. Please contact info@crlaf.org for copies of recent amicus briefs, sample pleadings, or advice and consultation on any case involving low-wage or immigrant workers.
The agricultural industry is plagued by some of the worst working conditions in the state; the Central Valley’s rural residents especially experience an extreme gap in justice and access to services. CRLAF’s Labor + Civil Rights Litigation Project aggressively targets all stakeholders responsible for civil rights violations, representing individuals, families, and other classes in legal cases involving wage theft, violation of workplace safety standards, pesticide exposure, sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, discrimination and retaliation in work and domestic settings, inhumane housing, and wrongful eviction.
Unique among legal aid organizations in rural California, CRLAF represents clients regardless of their immigration status, and brings class action cases to assist hundreds of workers at a time. Since its founding, CRLAF’s lawsuits have led to several industry-wide reforms, and recovered millions of dollars in compensation for exploited workers.
Our legal team participates in amicus efforts on issues of concern to farmworkers, undocumented workers, and other rural low-wage workers. The Project also assists in Support Center activities for legal service projects funded by the California State Bar Association’s Legal Services Trust Fund, such as providing legal training, technical assistance, and co-counsel where possible to Qualified Legal Services Projects and other legal aid organizations across the state.