Our Partners
Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center- Workers’ Rights Program
The Katharine and George Alexander Community Law Center (Law Center) provides free legal services for low-income individuals with consumer, immigration, and workers’ rights matters. Law Center services include community education and outreach, advice clinics, brief services, and in limited instances, representation. If you have a question about your rights as a worker, please call the Law Center to learn more about our services and to see if we can assist you.
Call (408) 288-7030 * Monday-Friday 9:00-4:00pm
The Fair Workplace Collaborative
The Office of Labor Standards Enforcement's mission to extend worker protections across the County, increase the effectiveness of existing County and local protections, and help Santa Clara County be a national leader in addressing labor abuses is of critical importance to advancing the economic and social well-being of the County as a whole. According to national studies, the average low-wage worker loses approximately $2,634--or 15% of their earnings--each year because of wage theft. The majority of these wages were stolen by failing to pay minimum wage or overtime, failing to provide breaks, and requiring unpaid, off-the-clock work.
The Fair Workplace Collaborative, OLSE's organizational partners, understands these challenges and is deeply committed to OLSE's efforts to provide and support workers' rights education and compliance information for business owners through its Labor Standards Outreach and Education Initiative. The Collaborative has designed a community-based outreach and education model that relies upon deep organizational relationships in communities of workers which are disproportionately represented within high-risk industries, a pro-bono legal partner comprised of the leading workers' rights law practitioners in Santa Clara County, and business partners with the capacity to serve small and minority-owned businesses.
The following organizations are members of the Fair Workplace Collaborative who implement OLSE's Labor Standards Outreach and Education Initiative by serving as resources for workers and businesses:
Working Partnerships USA - www.wpusa.org
Based in Silicon Valley, Working Partnerships USA tackles the root causes of inequality and poverty by leading collaborative campaigns for quality jobs, healthy communities, equitable growth, and a vibrant democracy. They are a community organization that brings together the power of grassroots organizing and public policy innovation to drive the movement for a just economy. Working Partnerships USA builds the capacity of workers, low-income neighborhoods, and communities of color to lead and govern. Since its founding in 1995, Working Partnerships USA has been pioneering policy campaigns that are then adopted across the nation — from the groundbreaking Children's Health Initiative to raising the minimum wage.
Working Partnerships USA serves as the Fair Workplace Collaborative coordinator, and also provides the following services in English and Spanish: labor and workplace rights training for workers, referrals to safety net, and other appropriate services (including assistance with filing claims and referrals to resources, legal specialists, and victims' service providers).
Day Worker Center of Mountain View - www.dayworkercentermv.org
The Day Worker Center of Mountain View connects workers and employers in a safe and supportive environment, empowers workers to improve their socio-economic condition through fair employment, education, and job skills training, and allows them to participate in advocacy efforts that support the day laborer community.
Step Forward Foundation - www.stepfwd.org
Step Forward is a nonprofit organization offering specialized legal services to its clients including survivors of human trafficking. It operates the Santa Clara County OLSE Advice Line in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Mandarin, and Visayan, and it provides legal support, training, and education to community organizations in the Fair Workplace Collaborative and in the community.
Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants - https://pawis-sv.com
The Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants was formed to fight against social and economic injustice faced by Filipino workers and im/migrants in Santa Clara County. The first PAWIS members were former airport screeners affected by the U.S. Aviation and Transportation Security Act after 9-11-2001. Today PAWIS continues to support Filipinos in Santa Clara County, the Bay Area, the U.S., and around the world, working in industries such as health care, retail/sales, and electronic manufacturing. PAWIS conducts education, information, and training to its members on issues that affect Filipino workers and im/migrants, conducts legal clinics and Know Your Rights presentations that include Workers' Rights and human trafficking, provides assistance and collective support for its members through referrals, and unites with other Filipino organizations for the advancement of the rights and welfare of Filipino workers and im/migrants.
Vietnamese American Roundtable - https://varoundtable.org
The Vietnamese American Roundtable's mission is to mobilize, advocate for, and inform our community of the critical issues that impact their lives. The Vietnamese American Roundtable (VAR) accomplishes its mission through building coalitions, strategic advocacy, and organizing meaningful community events for all. They are community volunteers who work collaboratively to research, develop, promote, and support programs and projects that benefit the local community. As Vietnamese Americans spanning different generations, they are able to bridge both aspects of Vietnamese and American culture and lifestyle, which helps them bring inclusive perspectives to their events. VAR is composed of young professionals and representatives from various Vietnamese American community groups who work collaboratively to research, promote, and support joint programs and projects to benefit the local community.
As part of the Fair Workplace Collaborative, VAR and other partners will host monthly community law clinics that can provide expertise on worker's rights issues. VAR also hosts community workshops on different issues centered on the rights of employees and obligations of employers, and work with partners to refer those in need of representation towards community resources and non-profit legal aid organizations.
Enterprise Foundation/Silicon Valley Small Business Development Center - https://www.svsbdc.org/
The Enterprise Foundation offers a wide variety of programs and services for present and potential small business owners. Our services include no-charge expert counseling, free training, information resources, events, webinars, and seminars to the greater Silicon Valley community.
As a member of the Fair Workplace Collaborative, the Enterprise Foundation is dedicated to providing current up-to-date outreach and education services to employers to help them understand their responsibilities with respect to compliance and fair and equitable compensation, and HR business practices. Services are offered in English and Spanish.
Latinx Business Circle - www.prosperitylab.org
LatinX Business Circle is a collective of dedicated business advisers and trainers with expertise in a variety of areas and industries vital to businesses. LatinX Business Circle is powered by Prosperity Lab.
The Prosperity Lab path finds economic empowerment approaches and tools that enable historically disinvested communities, women, and micro-enterprises to become prosperous, reduce socio-economic disparities, and achieve economic advancement.
As a member of the Fair Workplace Collborative, LatinX Business Circle provides the necessary information, training, events and seminars, and resources for small business owners to help them understand and come into compliance with Labor Standards for business owners. They are committed to helping small businesses become the best place to work and thrive! Call (408) 547 3190 for assistance or you can email: [email protected]