We are pleased to announce that the new Legal Aid at Work contract has been signed and is now in effect! This new 3-year contract achieves the excellent wages and benefits that reflect the important work you all do. Here are just a few highlights:
- An organizational minimum wage of $50K in 2021, rising to $52K by 2023
- Big structural adjustments for lower paid staff and increases for all; two-thirds of the unit will achieve base-building raises of more than 15% over the term of the contract
- $1000 additional annual 403(b) contribution by LAAW at year-end for employees earning $75,000 or less; $500 additional contribution at year-end for employees earning over $75,000
- Sick leave income protection extended from 90 days to 180 days
- Juneteenth holiday added, and early office closes at 1 pm formalized in the contract as additional paid holiday time off ahead of four holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving)
- Extra, bank-able week of vacation on January 1, 2022 for everyone who has been with the organization since January 1, 2021 in recognition of vacation time lost to the pandemic
- Full overhaul of Temporary Employee language to provide greater transparency and more protections for temporary staff
- Management is now required to provide job descriptions to new hires, and employees’ ability to request a review of their classification is now clearly specified in the contract
- Management has committed to engage in a review of existing job classifications and to propose a grade and classification system with objective factors for step placement within 18 months
Again, this is just a small list of the many great wins in your new contract. You can find the full agreement in the sidebar on the main Legal Aid at Work page of our website, or follow the link below to a downloadable PDF. Congratulations to the bargaining team and all members for this incredible win!
Legal Aid at Work Contract — 2021 – 2023