Advocacy

The EJC advocates for systemic change that will improve the lives of low-income workers.  While legal advice and representation can effectively address the problems of one individual, more action is sometimes needed to address larger issues that affect numerous workers.  These problems are addressed by EJC staff, volunteers and workers through legislative advocacy, and working with those employers and government agencies which are creating difficulty for low-wage workers.  We are constantly on the lookout for new systemic reform projects; when lots of clients walk through the door with the same problem, we mobilize for action. 

Current advocacy efforts:

• PAID SICK AND SAFE DAYS ACT:  VICTORY!!  On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, the D.C. Council had its second and final vote on legislation to provide workers in the District with paid sick and safe days.  The Councilmembers voted 13-0 in favor of the legislation, which Mayor Fenty signed on March 19, 2008.  The bill became law on May 13, 2008 after a mandatory congressional review period.  It includes a 6-month waiting period, so it goes into effect in November 2008.  Click here for more information on the revised bill.  The final legislation is here.  The EJC will be monitoring any regulations that are drafted before the bill is implemented in late 2007 or early 2008.

• Similarly, the EJC supports "The Healthy Families Act," introduced in the U.S. Senate as S. 2520 by Senator Kennedy and in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4575 by Representative DeLauro.  Click here to sign a Petition in support of The Healthy Families Act (this will take you to the National Partnership for Women and Families' website).

• EJC is a Co-Chair of the D.C. Women's Agenda, a local advocacy and policy coalition that promotes the advancement of equality, health, and well-being of women and girls in the District.  Click here for information about the D.C. Women's Agenda.

Examples of past advocacy efforts:

• Worked in collaboration with local labor officials following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to secure legislation and appropriations to increase unemployment compensation for laid-off workers.  Became one of the first localities to waive income tax on unemployment compensation (though this legislation has since expired).  Shortly thereafter, we successfully advocated for an alternative base period in unemployment in D.C., making an estimated 1,000 workers eligible for an additional $4 million in benefits. 
• Organized a coalition and pushed legislation to make it easier for victims of domestic violence to get unemployment compensation.  Click here to see the law, A15-0418.
• Secured improvements to D.C.'s One-Stop job service and job training centers by conducting a "testing" project, along with Wider Opportunities for Women, which revealed numerous problems and allowed EJC to enter into a dialogue with D.C. Department of Employment Services officials. 
• Worked in coalition with other groups in D.C. to pass the Language Access Act, which improves translation and second language services in the D.C. government for those for whom English is a second language. 
• EJC contributed to the "Human Needs First" Voter Guide for D.C. elections for 2004.  Click here for the guide in PDF format (506 KB). 
• As a core member of the D.C. Living Wage Coalition, EJC successfully advocated for legislation that provided a living wage level of $11.75 for workers employed by companies with contracts with the D.C. government.  Click here to see the new law, A16-0335.  
• Worked with members of El Comite to successfully advocate for the addition of four new bilingual staff members at the Office of Wage and Hour.