This video gives you a glimpse into the work CLS’s staff attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and other advocates do every day so that people and their families in Philadelphia can access fundamental needs like housing, food, and employment. Hear from CLS advocates and clients about the lasting impact that CLS has had on them and…
Starting October 2022, Pennsylvania has increased the income limit to qualify for SNAP (food stamps). If you were denied before, you might qualify now! Please see the chart at right for the new income limits by household size. If your monthly income is below these limits, you may qualify for SNAP. If your household…
PHILADELPHIA, PA – On August 10 parents, caregivers, and community organizations filed suit in the case of A.W. v. Commonwealth to challenge Pennsylvania’s ChildLine Registry as unconstitutional. The suit, filed in Commonwealth Court, alleges that parents and caregivers are listed on the Registry and labeled as “child abusers” without first having a chance to defend…
You can now get live help every weekday at Community Legal Services! We are open for live in-person intake at our Center City and North Philadelphia offices as well as live telephone intake. CLS provides bilingual help or interpreters at no cost as needed. For a detailed list of issues we can help with, visit…
PHILADELPHIA, PA. – Two Philadelphia workers have filed a class action against Walmart, alleging that the company regularly failed to follow Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek Law. The workers are represented by Community Legal Services of Philadelphia and co-counsel from Lichten & Liss-Riordan P.C., Werman Salas, and Willig, Williams & Davidson. The class action complaint was…
CLS’s Health & Independence (H&I) Unit represents low-income families, survivors of domestic violence, immigrants, older adults, and people with disabilities on a wide range of issues including accessing public benefits, preventing institutionalization, and ensuring access to healthcare and health insurance. We also advocate to maintain economic stability by preventing interruption or reduction of Social Security…
HB 129, a bill which is scheduled for a vote by the Pennsylvania Senate Labor and Industry Committee on February 8, 2022, would require Unemployment Compensation (UC) hearings to be transitioned to “primarily via videoconference.” Video hearings would be the default. In a world of Zoom meetings for many, this might seem on the surface…
In a landmark ruling, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has held that Fourth Amendment protections extend to home inspections conducted by child welfare agencies investigating anonymous hotline calls, and that child welfare agencies may not search family homes without first demonstrating probable cause under the law. This case has broad-ranging racial justice implications for Black and…
During the pandemic, ID.me, a company providing digital identity credentials that promised to screen out fraudulent claims but “leave no identity behind,” emerged as a potential savior against rampant unemployment benefit fraud. Since then, ID.me’s influence has increased, as numerous federal departments and scores of states have signed on for its services, including in the…
Today, October 14, City Council unanimously passed the 2021-2022 Neighborhood Preservation Initiative Program Statement and Budget to provide significant new funding for affordable housing, first time home buyers, home repair programs, small businesses, rental assistance, eviction prevention, and tangled title representation. Community Legal Services strongly supports this new funding. Michael Froehlich, Managing Attorney of CLS’s Homeownership and Consumer…
