by DC Jobs with Justice | Jan 21, 2014 | Actions & Events, Campaigns
In case you missed it: DC Jobs with Justice, Respect DC and a large, diverse coalition of workers, community organizations, labor unions, faith groups, and businesses won two historic victories for workers’ rights in the District. After years of pushing for living wages for all workers (and specifically at Walmart) and expanding paid sick days to all workers, both campaigns came to an sudden, successful end in December of 2013. Starting in July of this year, the DC minimum wage will climb annually until it reaches $11.50 per hour, and will rise with the cost of living thereafter. And several years after DC became one of the first jurisdictions in the country to pass a paid sick leave law, the Paid Sick Days campaign was able to remove several exclusionary loopholes. What a way to end the year for working families in the District! Stay tuned for more updates as we ensure these laws get funded, go properly enforced, and become public knowledge. See here for an in-depth look at what these two bills offer for workers, courtesy of the DC Employment Justice...
by DC Jobs with Justice | Nov 9, 2012 | Campaigns, Injured Worker Advocate
Over 2,000 injured D.C. government employees go through the Public Sector Workers Compensation Program each year. These benefits are intended to give injured government workers financial security when injured on the job and help them pay for their medical care, rent and other basic necessities. Unfortunately, due to a decade of poor administration and noncompliance, formerly middle-class injured workers have been driven into poverty. Instead of protecting injured D.C. employees, we have allowed thousands of District residents to fall into poverty as a result of their workplace injuries. In 2004 and 2006, the D.C. Council passed legislation to reduce the time for resolving injured workers’ eligibility, to create penalties for late payments to injured workers, and to codify the preference for an injured worker’s treating physician’s opinion when determining work eligibility over that of a government-designated doctor who had very limited information regarding the claimant’s health condition. These reforms were designed to ensure that injured D.C. employees would not languish without any income while they were unable to do work. Unfortunately, the FY 2011 budget reversed some of these legislative victories. The Council granted government appointed doctors with limited knowledge of a client’s health condition greater weight in determining work eligibility, reducing the role of treating physicians. The Council also repealed protections for workers that suffered mental trauma, allowed workers to be lose their benefits even before an Administrative Law Judge has the opportunity to evaluate their side of the story, and capped benefits for injuries that ORM classifies as “temporary” even though they continue for more than 500 weeks. These repeals endangered injured workers’ right to fairly access...
by DC Jobs with Justice | Mar 7, 2012 | Campaigns, Injured Worker Advocate
On March 1st, DC Jobs with Justice Executive Director Nikki Daruwala and members of the Injured Worker Advocates (IWA), along with Employment Justice Center testified before the Council of the District of Columbia’s Oversight Hearing on the Office of Risk management Committee on Government Operations. In her testimony, Nikki Daruwala stated that “over 2,000 injured DC government workers go through the Public Sector Workers Compensation Program each year. Disability benefits are intended to give injured government employees financial security when hurt on the job and help them pay their medical care, rent and other basic fundamental human necessities. Unfortunately, due to a decade of poor administration and noncompliance, formally middle-class injured workers have been driven into poverty as a result of their on-the-job injuries.” The coalition made recommendations to the Council and asked them to pass legislation that would reform flaws in the Disability Compensation Program.rnrnWould you like to support the IWA? Please sign this petition http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4023/c/188/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3758 and help the IWA tell the District Government that they deserve their rights and benefits....
by DC Jobs with Justice | Nov 19, 2010 | Interfaith Worker Justice, Projects
“Wage theft is a crime” was the theme of a rally and press event on Thursday, Nov. 18th that brought together workers, faith leaders, and community supporters. Held in front of the DC Metropolitan Police Dept. Headquarters, the rally gave workers a chance to speak out about the silent crime of wage theft and to call on the police and DC government to do more to protect workers. rnrnThe Union de Trabajadores, with DC Jobs with Justice, Interfaith Worker Justice of Greater Washington, the DC Employment Justice Center, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and other allies have been working for several years to improve the options open to workers to recover wages. While the DC Wage and Hour office has implemented many of the recommendations from workers, the office still lacks the staff and resources necessary and doesn’t have the authority to levy fines or penalties against employers who refuse to pay. rnrnThe need for police to be involved in fighting wage theft was a major theme of Thursday’s event. Ramon Hernandez and Antonio Lazo, both members of the Union de Trabajadores spoke about experiences calling police to report stolen wages. In some cases, police intervention has resulted in workers being paid what they are owed- without having to wait through a lengthy administrative process at the DC Office of Wage and Hour. However, some workers who have called police have been told that its not a police issue. The Union de Trabajadores has requested and been promised a meeting with MPD to discuss possibilities for collaboration.rnrnThe Nov. 18th event was organized as part of Interfaith Worker...
by DC Jobs with Justice | Sep 3, 2010 | Interfaith Worker Justice, Projects
This Labor Day weekend, 27 local churches will be celebrating workers and labor during their services through the Labor in the Pulpits program. Dozens of local synagogues and temples will also be celebrating workers through the Labor on the Bimah program, organized by Jews United for Justice.rnrnMany participating congregations will raise up worker justice issues during sermons and homilies, while others will offer prayers of blessing for workers or for the unemployed. Some congregations have invited guest speakers or organized special programs after services. rnrnAt McKendree-Simms Brookland UMC in DC, Kimberly Freeman Brown, Executive Director at American Rights at Work, will speak about the movement to expand the organizing rights, while at Woodside UMC in Bethesda, Chris Neif of the United Food and Commercial Workers will speak about efforts to organize Wal-Mart. rnrnAt Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th Street, Rev. Dr. Miguel de la Torre will give a guest sermon on “God, Immigration, and Work.†The special service, which will feature a blessing of day laborers, will be followed by fellowship luncheon with the Union de Trabajadores and, later in the evening, a film showing of the documentary “Igual Que Tu.â€rnrnChurch of the Pilgrim Presbyterian will be turning over their pulpit to the Rev. Phil Tom, who formerly served as the Director of Urban Ministry for the Presbyterian Church (USA), and now serves as Director of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for the Department of Labor. rnrnThe local Labor Day weekend activities are part of the national Labor in the Pulpits/Labor on the Bimah programs. For more info, and to see resources for worship, visit the Interfaith Worker Justice...
