- Stringer 2013 -

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer is joining with MFY Legal Services to provide free legal employment consultation on job-related problems to low-income, immigrant workers. Translation services will be made available, upon advance request. 

Borough President Stringer said, “Immigrant and low wage workers are systematically exploited and denied their legal rights to equal opportunity and fair compensation. New York desperately needs more accessible legal services for immigrant and low wage workers; these free legal employment clinics are critical to helping this hard-working population. I commend MFY Legal Services for their commitment to providing this clinic and thank Speaker Quinn and the City Council for enabling this program.” 

The pilot of this project ran from April 17th until July 31st. During that time, over 100 workers in the restaurant, maintenance and buildings service industries took advantage of the free legal consultations. Most of these workers were concerned with unemployment insurance benefits, wrongful job terminations, discrimination, health insurance coverage rights under COBRA, and violations of minimum wage and overtime laws by their employers. MFY provided advice about these issues, represented some of these residents at unemployment insurance hearings, and helped them with process unpaid wage claims. Borough President Stringer’s office provides support and conducts outreach to broaden access to the clinic.

“MFY is committed to ensuring that low-wage and immigrant workers have access to justice,” said Christopher Lamb, MFY’s Executive Director. “We’re excited to be working closely with the Borough President and appreciate the effort he is making to reach out to workers who need help.” MFY’s Employment Law Clinics for Manhattan residents are made possible through a grant from the City Council to provide employment legal counseling to immigrant workers.

Consultations will be provided every Friday in the Manhattan Borough President’s Northern Manhattan office located at 163 West 125th Street, 5th Floor from 10 a.m -3 p.m. Clinics will be held every Friday through December 18th. To schedule an appointment, please call 212-531-1609. Interpreters will be available if requested in advance of the appointment.