Workers Rights - Paralegal

JOB POSTING: Paralegal

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986. CHIRLA is a California leader with national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA organizes and serves individuals, institutions, and coalitions to build power, transform public opinions, and change policies to achieve full human, civil and labor rights. Guided by power, love, and vision of our community, CHIRLA embraces and drives progressive social change.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

CHIRLA is seeking a Paralegal to work with the Workers’ Rights Unit (WRU) who may be assigned to work primarily with one or more of the legal teams as needed. Accordingly, the types and amounts of cases assigned to a staff member will reflect the needs of the clients serviced by the team(s) they are assigned or the needs of clients across the department as a whole. A Workers’ Rights Paralegal will work on cases in the intersection between immigration and employment law; primarily working on deferred action for labor enforcement cases and labor-based humanitarian parole.

The Paralegal will assist senior staff to file labor complaints with the appropriate labor agencies, will obtain Statements of Interest from labor agencies, will apply for immigration benefits on behalf clients, and support the legal work required to represent clients in their immigration and employment law matters in whatever manner possible. The Paralegal may also assist filing for employment law relief even if unrelated to immigration matters such as in the case of filing Mechanic’s Liens and services to be added in the future. The Paralegal will provide screenings and intakes to potential new clients on a regular basis, by phone or in person, during triage or legal clinics as needed. The Paralegal will provide clients with effective, responsive, compassionate, efficient legal services.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Immigration and Labor Legal Assistance:

• Assist attorneys and/or DOJ Accredited Representatives provide representation to clients with cases involving issues such as criminal history, immigration law violations, family law issues, labor issues, current or previous removal proceedings, appeals, or other issues related to their immigration and labor matters as needed.
• Responsible for the drafting and revision of any documents needed to address a client’s immigration and labor issues, including but not limited to applications, FOIA Requests, legal memos or briefs, labor complaints, mechanic’s lines, etc.
• Responsible for communicating and/or providing reminders of deadlines and/or issues with cases to supervisors, colleagues, and subordinate staff that will properly and efficiently resolve issues in cases to achieve the best possible outcome for clients. Also, will assist attorneys and/or DOJ Accredited Representatives with communication of this information to clients
• Screen potential clients for all potential and available immigration benefits that they may qualify for, including deferred action programs for workers, and use that information to assess their ability to successfully pursue and obtain those benefits.
• Screen potential clients for labor issues such as wage and hour violations and other labor violations. Complete appropriate wage claim, wage, and hour investigations, and related immigration applications for clients.
• Communicate to potential clients an assessment or evaluation of their immigration and their labor-related cases or circumstances, including but not limited to any rights these individuals possess, any requirement these individuals must complete, where to file complaints if it’s a case we cannot help with, and any deadlines they must comply with.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure with urgent deadlines.
• Stay up to date with changes in immigration and employment law as well as other developments to be able to provide clients with the best representation possible.
• Make appropriate referrals as necessary for immigration and employment law services beyond the scope of the programs or one’s own competencies, and for other social service needs.
• Assume caseload of any departing staff member as needed.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or related field experience
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, progressive social change, empowering communities' rights and justice.
• A high level of integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Fluency or high proficiency in the Spanish language and/or other languages that would allow communication with existing, new or potential clients is required as the job requires extensive legal counseling and representation with client who primarily speak languages other than English.
• Experience in assisting noncitizens apply for a wide variety of immigration benefits and processes before USCIS and/or immigration Court.
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Must be flexible to work early morning, evenings and Saturdays during clinical/consultations times as needed.

Preferred

• Paralegal Certification
• Engaging communication skills that can effectively and independently communicate with diverse audiences and network collaboratively among a variety of stakeholder groups
• Excellent creative problem solving, strategic thinking, and analytical skills
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail
• Experience with providing direct services to the community, ideally in a nonprofit setting
• Experience working with survivors of trauma, victims of violence, and human trafficking
• Experience working with underserved and diverse populations
• Ability to be comfortable in a collaborative, consultative environment.
• Proficient with Word, Excel, Power Point and other Microsoft Suite or other software utilized by CHIRLA

Desired Traits or Characteristic

• Highly self-motivated, creative, takes initiative, ability to learn quickly, flexible, and able to work as part of an interdisciplinary team of legal staff.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively as part of a team and with colleagues of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, both in person and within a remote work environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and positive working relationships within their team, their department, and throughout the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive in the approach to assigned responsibilities, completing tasks and/or using technology and systems to maximize efficiencies.
• Strong commitment to CHIRLA’s mission of empowering low-income community groups and immigrants

POSITION: Paralegal

Salary & Benefits: $26.00 to $27.04

CHIRLA offers a competitive salary based on qualifications and an excellent benefit package, Which includes generous time off benefits, 401K Plan, health, dental and vision plans.

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt/Hourly, full-time regular

Classification: CHIRLA recognizes a staff bargaining unit affiliated with AFSCME Local 4501. This position is included in CHIRLA’s bargaining unit and covered under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

REPORTS TO: Workers Rights & Labor Legal Services Managing Attorney

CLOSING DATE OF THIS POSITION: Position will remain open until filled.

LOCATION: San Bernardino Branch Office

CHIRLA is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and administers all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, appointment, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfers, training and educational opportunities without regard to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information as defined by the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, race, religion or religious creed, color, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status, pregnancy or pregnancy-related disability, military or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. All such discrimination is unlawful. It also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics. All such discrimination is unlawful.

To apply, send resume and cover letter

Subject Line should read: Paralegal

Fluency or high proficiency in the Spanish language and/or other languages that would allow communication with existing, new or potential clients is required as the job requires extensive legal counseling and representation with client who primarily speak languages other than English.