WHO WE ARE: Founded in 1966, CRLA’s mission is to fight for justice and individual rights alongside the most exploited communities of our society. Through a network of regional offices and cross-cutting programs, CRLA provides legal services to tens of thousands of low-income people annually. Our work impacts farmworkers, indigenous populations, individuals with disabilities, immigrant populations, LGBTQ+ communities, women, children, and low-income families in rural areas. The Tenant Justice Project, established in 2020, currently operates in 8 CRLA service counties and focuses on eviction defense and prevention.
- Position: Wrap-Around Community Worker -- Tenant Justice Project
- Experience: 6+ months
- Application Deadline: Open until filled
- Location: Stockton
- Term of Employment: Long term (fully funded through October 2026, with continued funding expected)
- Other: FLSA Non-Exempt, Union Position
Reporting to the Shriver Supervising Attorney, the Wrap-Around Community Worker will play a pivotal role in providing comprehensive support to low-income tenants navigating housing challenges.
The Wrap-Around Community Worker’s priority will be providing “ancillary” services to CRLA’s highest-needs housing clients. When not assisting our tenants with these issues, the Wrap-Around Community Worker will have the same duties as a regular Community Worker. This is a new position for CRLA, so the candidate will work with the Supervising Attorney to design the position and duties.
- Ancillary Services:
- These services are aimed at addressing various aspects of our clients’ lives impacting their housing stability, such as employment and health.
- Make referrals within CRLA and to outside agencies for clients who have public benefits, employment, income maintenance, and education legal issues.
- Assist tenants with gaining access to their medical records by obtaining HIPAA waivers, making written document requests, and helping clients create online accounts to access their records.
- Assist tenants with job searches by sending job referrals, helping them with their resumes and interview preparation, and helping them create online accounts on employment websites.
- Assist tenants with housing searches by helping them fill out housing applications.
- Assist tenants with searching for private attorneys or other legal aids to address other legal issues they may have.
- Assist tenants with scheduling appointments.
- Assist tenants with finding other resources that address their needs.
- Applicant Intake:
- Assist applicants both in-person at the CRLA Stockton office as well as through the Tenant Justice Project’s multi-county hotline. This position is expected to require in-office presence approximately three to four days per week as scheduled.
- Perform initial screening for eligibility; interview applicants to determine the nature of their legal problem, and identify the type of legal assistance being sought.
- Interview applicants to learn the underlying causes of their legal problems and how the legal assistance that CRLA could offer would meet their short, mid-range, and longer-term goals.
- Provide applicants with appropriate factual information, convey legal information provided by attorneys, and share referrals.
- Prepare and deliver verbal and written reports for attorneys and other staff, summarizing the facts pertinent to the legal issues raised by applicants.
- Assess applicants’ capacities to represent themselves in the legal matter and the obstacles applicants face in meeting their stated goals.
- Collaboration with other agencies:
- Maintain CRLA liaison with community organizations and groups to ensure that CRLA resources address client community needs.
- Connect with other community organizations to facilitate appropriate referrals.
- Community Workers may be required to work outside the office, for instance, the Wraparound Community Worker may be required to conduct client home visits or attend appointments with clients from time to time.
- Lay Advocacy:
- Perform ministerial duties in connection with lawsuits such as filing and the service of process and interpreting for non-English speaking clients in interview situations and before formal and informal tribunals.
- Community Engagement and Education:
- Provide legal and factual information and skills training to individuals and groups to help our clients understand and assert their legal rights and responsibilities.
- Assist with self-help housing workshops in CRLA and at the San Joaquin Courthouse.
- Conducting Investigations:
- Gather information through field inquiry and other research related to actual or potential cases and litigation.
- Prepare documents from standard forms, including unlawful detainer answers, fee waivers, demand letters, and discovery.
- Assist clients in identifying helpful information for the presentation of their cases.
- Provide appropriate advocacy and make referrals where applicable.
- Perform other tasks assigned.
Required Education and Experience:
- Applicants must have the ability to perform all of the above-listed duties.
- Commitment to serving low-income clients.
- Skilled at navigating web-based applications.
- Ability to use internet, database, and computer word processing programs.
- Good communication skills.
- Ability to interact productively with diverse community populations.
- Spanish-English fluency or fluency in a language other than English spoken by the CRLA client community is required.
- Applicants must have car and car insurance.
- Knowledge of interviewing techniques.
- Ability to relate to the client community, ability to communicate with client community, ability to ascertain all necessary information of client's legal problem through an oral interview in person or by phone, listening skills, ability to make the client feel comfortable during interviews, ability to take good notes, ability to evaluate, assess and analyze client's problems and make proper referrals.
- Knowledge of or ability to learn the techniques of conducting community outreach events.
Preferred Education and Experience:
A highly qualified and desirable candidate would also have the following:
- Experience working with low-income families and communities.
- Experience in a non-profit legal services environment.
- Prior experience in legal services.
This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Compensation:
We offer a diverse, family-friendly environment and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries; generous benefits package which includes 100% employer-covered medical, dental, vision, life, and short & long-term disability insurance for employees and up to 50% for dependents coverage; and 401K retirement plan with CRLA contribution effective immediately. Generous paid leave policy which includes: 15 days of sick leave, 15 holidays each year, and vacation (accrue 15 days for the first year of service and 20 days after one year of service at CRLA). This is a union position (Legal Service Workers for Rural California "LSWRC"), and the estimated starting hourly range for this position is $24.21 - $32.10 (placement in the range is primarily determined by years of related experience).
CRLA requires that all employees are fully vaccinated, defined as a CDC-approved COVID vaccination and one booster shot. This offer is contingent on meeting this requirement. The complete vaccination policy, including the process for reasonable allowable accommodations, is available for your review upon request.
California Rural Legal Assistance thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.