STAFF ATTORNEY, LEGAL HELPLINE

Center for WorkLife Law

Classification: Class Code 2051 or 2052 / Exempt / Full-Time (30 Hours per week) / Benefited / Remote / Contract

Anticipated hiring range: $60,000 - $67,400, commensurate with qualifications, location and experience

Anticipated hiring range: $60,000 - $67,400, commensurate with qualifications and experience

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Center for WorkLife Law is a national advocacy and research organization that advances gender and racial equity by strengthening legal rights for pregnant people and family caregivers. Our work seeks to ensure all people have the freedom to build and maintain economic security through employment and educational opportunities, without having to sacrifice their health or their loved ones’ care. As a Center of the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, WorkLife Law provides direct assistance to workers and students in need and addresses structural inequality by changing public policy at the state and national levels.

THE ROLE and responsibilities

The Staff Attorney will be primarily responsible for managing and providing services on WorkLife Law’s free legal helpline serving workers who need assistance with employment issues related to pregnancy, abortion and pregnancy loss, lactation, and family caregiving, including parenting, eldercare, and disability care. In addition, the Staff Attorney will develop know-your-rights resources and practical tools for workers and their allies. The Staff Attorney will also regularly share with the WorkLife Law team their insights gleaned from speaking with workers on the helpline to inform the Center’s policy priorities, research, and advocacy. The Staff Attorney may also support similar efforts to support pregnant and caregiving postsecondary students, as capacity allows. This is a fully-benefited employee position with a 12-month contract that will renew depending on the availability of funding.

Typical duties and responsibilities include:

Legal Helpline – Direct Assistance: Provide direct assistance to workers on WorkLife Law’s helpline with compassion, resourcefulness, cultural competency, legal expertise, and clarity. Providing this assistance is the primary responsibility for this role and will account for the majority of the Staff Attorney’s work time. The Staff Attorney will provide information about legal rights, as well as practical support on how to access workplace accommodations and leave and relief from employment discrimination. The Staff Attorney will be responsible for analyzing callers’ situations by listening closely, reviewing documents, and applying relevant laws. With assistance as necessary from WorkLife Law senior staff, the Staff Attorney will formulate a strategy for serving each caller and will engage callers throughout the process. Depending on the needs of the individual caller, services provided will range from answering questions about legal rights and providing know-your-rights materials to writing letters to employers and providing ongoing support over many months.
Legal Helpline – Management: WorkLife Law’s helpline is a national “warm-line” where workers reach out via email/online form or voicemail. The Staff Attorney will be responsible for triaging incoming helpline calls, ensuring callers receive a timely response, maintaining helpline records (including demographic data), and improving helpline policies and processes as needed.
Resource Creation: Create and update documents explaining the law for workers, as well as documents explaining employer obligations for use by helpline callers when negotiating with their employers. As time permits, the Staff Attorney may assist in the creation of other WorkLife Law practical and educational materials for a range of stakeholders. Resource creation includes researching and fact checking to ensure materials remain up to date, seeking and incorporating feedback from stakeholders to ensure the materials meet their needs, and translating complicated legal ideas into accessible language that is appropriate for the audience at hand.
Policy Advocacy: Regularly update WorkLife Law team on trends identified via helpline calls as they relate to the Center’s policy advocacy. Strategize with WorkLife Law team to ensure the experiences of workers are informing WorkLife Law’s policy advocacy and research. Identify helpline callers interested in sharing their experiences to create policy change.

REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

J.D. degree and admitted to practice law in any U.S. state
3+ years of relevant experience required, although more is preferred
Experience providing direct services to people in crisis in a culturally competent manner required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES.

Knowledge of employment law (particularly PWFA, PUMP, ADA, Title VII, and FMLA or state-law equivalents) strongly preferred
Commitment to the goals and values of WorkLife Law
Strong legal research skills and proficiency with Lexis and/or Westlaw
Ability to understand complex legal concepts and thoughtfully translate them verbally and in writing for lay audiences in an accessible way
Effective organization, time, and project management skills with excellent attention to detail and a nimbleness to shift between tasks as needs evolve
Ability to speak with people in crisis with compassion and cultural sensitivity
Adaptable and resourceful, with an eagerness to problem-solve
Desire to work in a group that prioritizes open communication, work-life balance, and positive relationships; and
Fluency in Spanish or another language spoken by a large group of marginalized workers in the U.S. is a plus

The skills listed above are comprehensive, and we understand there are great candidates who possess only a subset of those skills, or who have other important skills. If you match some of these skills, please do not hesitate to apply.

BENEFITS

Health and Welfare Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance coverage
Flexible Spending Accounts for transportation-related, healthcare and dependent care expenses
Employee Assistance Program

For Your Financial Future

Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, and Legal Insurance
University of California Retirement Plan (a defined benefit plan)
Deferred Compensation Plans/Pre-tax Retirement Savings Programs

For Your Work/Life Balance

Fifteen paid holidays per year
Generous vacation and sick leave
Commuter Benefits Program

THE HIRING PROCESS

Please note: This position has been designated as “sensitive” and requires a pre-employment background check.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact Human Resources if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Applicants who meet the position requirements will be competitively evaluated to identify the individuals whose breadth and depth of experience and education most closely relate to the stated requirements and the needs of the College. Not all applicants will be contacted for an interview.

UC Law San Francisco is an Equal Opportunity Employer. UC Law San Francisco strives to provide a diverse and inclusive educational environment that fosters cultural awareness, mutual understanding and respect. UC Law San Francisco College of the Law is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching. Qualified women and members of underrepresented minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Staff Attorney - Legal Helpline