Legal Aid at Work

What it reported doing in 2024

We, along with co-counsel, secured a $730,000 settlement for 23 Filipino workers who were trafficked into forced labor at a rural hospitality complex. Brought to the U.S. on H-2B visas, these workers were lured with false promises of fair wages, free housing, meals, and visa reimbursementonly to arrive and face extreme exploitation, poverty wages, and broken promises. After more than six years of relentless advocacy, we ensured that every worker received compensation for the harm they endured, reaffirming that no employer is above the law.We reached a historic nationwide settlement with the Department of Defense on behalf of over 30,000 LGBTQ+ veterans discharged under Dont Ask, Dont Tell. The settlement was secured alongside co- counsel at the Impact Fund, King & Spalding LLP, and Haynes and Boone, LLP. It streamlines the process for veterans to upgrade their discharge paperwork to honorable, removes stigmatizing references to their sexual orientation, and provides access to critical VA healthcare and other benefits.We helped set statewide legal precedents, like the groundbreaking decision we and our partners at the Law Offices of Daniel Ray Bacon obtained from the California Supreme Court in Bailey v. San Francisco District Attorneys Office. The Court unanimously held that a single use of the N-word by a coworker can constitute actionable racial harassment, offering stronger protections for employees across the stateWe represented a cook at a small-town restaurant in Northern California who endured relentless sexual harassment from her managersexual objectification, false sexual rumors, and a toxic work environment where co-workers branded her a whore. As a monolingual Spanish-speaking immigrant and a single mother of two children, she was afraid to report the abuse for fear of losing her job. After she finally came forward, the restaurant owner dismissed her as crazy, refused to intervene, and reduced her hours in retaliation.Through amicus advocacy, we helped secure a crucial victory in the California Supreme Court, blocking the Taxpayer Deception Act from the November ballot. The measure would have threatened vital programs, including recent improvements to Californias Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance programs that we had previously helped pass that increased the benefit rates for Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance from 60% to 90% for most low-to-middle income workers.We provided individualized legal advice and counsel to nearly 3,000 workers in the past year, including through 273 Workers Rights Clinics we operated out of 13 locations across the state. We operate our clinics in close partnership with 8 law schools, 145+ law students, 100 volunteer attorneys, and 11 community- based organizations.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 55.4%; rating input score 55
• Program expense ratio: 65.5%; rating input score 65
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.44 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 97.3%; rating input score 97; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 19.8%; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.46; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.18; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 22.3%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.7% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13.3% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings