Update, June 15, 2020: Great news from the U.S. Supreme Court! The Supreme Court just ruled that that a federal law banning sex-based job discrimination covers LGBTQ+ Employees. Original post: It’s Time for the Supreme Court to End Employment Discrimination Against the LGBTQ+ Community. The following blog post was written by CLS Litigation Director Sharon M.…
This week, Community Legal Services submitted comments to proposed rules issued by Pennsylvania’s Office of Attorney General. The rules seek to clarify Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (CPL). Fifty years ago, the General Assembly enacted the CPL to “even the bargaining power between consumers and sellers in commercial transactions, and to promote…
CLS filed an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief in the Supreme Court of the United States urging the Court to take up the case of Doe v. Iowa, being litigated by our colleagues at Iowa Legal Aid. Doe v. Iowa is a case of great importance, as it challenges Iowa’s ability to prevent low-income…
This summer, Community Legal Services (CLS) was thrilled to establish the Senator Roxanne Jones Fellowship to enable future leaders in public interest law
The conversation about child welfare is changing, both locally and nationally. While over 440,000 children are in foster care on any given day in our country, society is beginning to question a model that for far too long has seen family separation as the solution to poverty and instability. In the words of our federal Children’s Bureau leadership,…
Families Should Be Able to Take a Raise, Work More Hours, or Save for a Rainy Day Without Risking Losing their Food Assistance Overnight. The USDA has proposed a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rule that would make over 3 million Americans ineligible for SNAP benefits. The rule would severely cut back a longstanding state option – called…
This afternoon, Community Legal Services (CLS) and Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of almost 12,000 low-income Pennsylvanians who will lose their only source of income once the General Assistance program ends. The Pennsylvania residents who will lose this vital support are people with disabilities, people fleeing domestic violence, people completing treatment…
Mr. Amos has a criminal record. Even though the charges against him were dismissed, they still remained on his record and affected his ability to find work. Today, Mr. Amos’ record is sealed
Philadelphia’s youth experience high rates of poverty, unemployment, and negative physical and mental health outcomes, including high rates of depression and domestic violence. The Youth Justice Project, a collaboration between Philadelphia Legal Assistance and Community Legal Services, has come together to offer resources and legal services to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable youth. Download the Young Adult…
Billie Washington was struggling to make ends meet. A former home care attendant, she was no longer able to work due to her rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other illnesses. While waiting for her disability benefits hearing, she began receiving General Assistance. Ms. Washington carefully budgeted the monthly $205.00 to cover her rent, toiletries, medical co-payments, and public transportation to get to doctor’s appointments. When she found out that General Assistance was being eliminated, Ms. Washington felt like she had the rug yanked out from under her. Describing the feeling of desperation, she said, “I was crushed. I just, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
