Blog

Earlier this year, the NYC nonprofit The Door announced a new DACA initiative.

Earlier this year, New York city officials the Earned Sick Time Act.  This act protects you from losing your job if you have to take time off from work to recover from a physical/mental illness or an injury, care for a sick family member, or seek medical treatment for yourself or a family member.However, even though the law became effective on April 1, 2014, there are still many employees in New York City who are unsure of how the law pertains to them.  As a result, the organizations Community Service Society, A Better Balance, and Make the Road created a leaflet to help educate workers

New Economy Project speaks with advocates about the use of tenant screening reports, a practice that presents a barrier to thousands of New York City residents in search of residence.

We have the power to prevent and stop child abuse with just a few simple steps.  As a friend, relative, coworker, or professional working with families, one of the most important steps we can take to prevent child abuse is to identify and help families that may be experiencing stresses, such as financial, emotional, etc..  The simple step of extending our support or assistance in helping to connect them with services and programs that can help them, can play a major role in preventing child abuse.

Finding free or low-cost immigration help has gotten easier.  You can now use the National Immigration Legal Services Directory to search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility. Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included in this directory.  For additional questions about this directory you can refer to their list of frequently asked questions or email them at directory@immigrationadvocates.org.

Has your child received an expensive gift in the mail, like a webcam, a cell phone with a camera in it, or a trip? These gifts and devices are often for the purpose of encouraging teens to take, produce, and transmit sexually explicit images of themselves.

Going to the New York City Housing Court for the first time? What this video to learn about what to expect when you arrive, the court personnel and the services provided by the Court.Thank you to the New York State Access to Justice Program for this informational free video. 

In August, Bank of America agreed to a record-setting $16.65 billion settlement with the Department of Justice for selling toxic mortgage securities during the housing boom. The agreement includes $30 million for states to distribute to their legal aid programs. Legal aid attorneys play a key role in preventing unnecessary foreclosures. They help homeowners navigate complex mortgage systems and wordings, identify illegal or predatory mortgages, such as what Bank of America was found doing.

Bullying has had several negative effects on our youth today. It has been linked to several psychological disorders such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and has been the cause of several violent actions in our schools. Rates of bullying have decreased since 1998, but rates of physical fighting have remained the same since 2006. Victims of bullying have been shown to be more likely to carry weapons on them. The two most common weapons brought to schools were knives and guns.

Student debt in the United States has now passed the $1 trillion mark. Although, student loans provide people with the opportunity to get college education, there are still significant costs to borrowing this money. For example, borrowers often have to deal with high interest rates, threat of delinquency, and the possibility of wage garnishment which the federal government has the power to do if you fall delinquent on your loans. As a result, many students feel overwhelmed with their repayment options and unsure about their rights as lenders.