Organizing Support

NELP provides legal assistance to many groups advocating on behalf of low-wage, unemployed, and immigrant workers. 

NELP’s assistance includes:

• Materials on organizing efforts around policy implementation in other states
• Workers’ rights materials
• Model legislation
• Referrals to local lawyers, unions, community-based organizations, state advocates, and national coalitions

For example, NELP collaborated with organizing groups throughout the country to promote workforce development policies that serve the long-term employment needs of public assistance recipients and other underemployed workers. NELP provides legal support to immigrant-worker organizing and advocacy groups and  facilitates communication among diverse organizing groups across industries as well as ethnic boundaries.

For more information, contact NELP at nelp@nelp.org.

On these pages, you will find materials developed for organizers.  Please also visit the materials for workers section of the web site that offers fact sheets that may assist worker organizing and worker education.

Support for organizing publications by program area:

Immigrant Worker Project
LOW PAY, HIGH RISK: State Models for Advancing Immigrant Workers' Rights In a time of aggressive and discriminatory immigration and anti-immigrant worker policies at the federal level, immigrants and their advocates are focusing campaigns on the state and local level. This document provides a review of the many creative campaigns being undertaken to advance immigrant workers' rights in five areas, language access, drivers' licenses, confidentiality, post-Hoffman Plastics issues and workers' compensation. It provides background information, model legislation and talking points. (January 2003)

Assessing the Impact of the Supreme Court's Decision in Hoffman Plastic Compounds v NLRB on Immigrant Workers and Recent Developments. Article by National Immigration Law Center and National Employment Law Project, presented at National Lawyers Guild Conference in October 2002. (October 2002)

Rights Begin at Home: Protecting Yourself as a Domestic Worker  This handbook informs domestic workers about their rights under the law and offers advice on how to improve their wages and working conditions.  (May 2001)

Sus Derechos Comienzan en Casa: Protéjase en su Trabajo Como Doméstica (Domestic Worker Brochure)  This Spanish language handbook informs domestic workers about their rights under the law and offers advice on how to improve their wages and working conditions. El objetivo de este manual es ayudar a los trabajadores domésticos a proteger sus derechos contemplados en las leyes laborales del Estado de Nueva York, asi como las regulaciones salariales de la ciudad de Nueva York y del área metopolitana. (April 2003)

Drafting Day Labor Legislation: A Guide for Organizers and Advocates  This abbreviated guide was prepared to assist grassroots organizers and state advocates who are considering campaigns to adopt day labor legislation. (November 2000)

Nonstandard Worker Project
From Orchards to the Internet: Confronting Contingent Work Abuse This NELP report focuses on the ways that organizers and advocates can ameliorate the problems facing subcontracted workers. (March 2002)

Organizing for Workplace Equity: Model State Legislation for “Nonstandard” Workers “Nonstandard” workers, often called “contingent” workers, are a fixture in today’s economy. Working in part-time, temporary, contract, day labor, and other nonstandard employment arrangements, these workers now comprise about 30 percent of the workforce. As the studies show, these workers consistently earn lower wages than full-time workers with similar education and background who perform the same jobs. This report advocates legislation to protect nonstandard workers. (November 2000)