Please distribute and share, digitally or by printing and posting, this brief guide to resources available to those affected by COVID-19/Coronavirus in Greater New Orleans.

Please distribute and share, digitally or by printing and posting, this brief guide to resources available to those affected by COVID-19/Coronavirus in Greater New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS HOSPITALITY WORKER COMMITTEE (504) 657-3171
RESTAURANT OPPORTUNITIES CENTER (504) 529-5654
After a 10-year legal battle, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has issued a decision affirming the right of millions of undocumented workers to protection from exploitation and discrimination in the workplace. The challenge, led by the National Employment Law Project, the ACLU, and the University of Pennsylvania Law School’s Transnational Legal Clinic, was brought on behalf of two workers who were reported to immigration authorities and prosecuted, rather than receiving the treatment to which they were entitled for injuries suffered on the job.
In its decision, the IACHR determined that the United States is responsible for violating workers’ human rights by denying them the right to equality before the law and access to justice and labor protections. The IAHCR made several recommendations to address those violations including:
For the full report from the ACLU, click here.
Holiday shopping marks a make-or-break season for many retailers. Many seasonal and regular workers put in additional time to keep the festivities festive for consumers. Most employers join in the holiday spirit, by hiring extra workers, following all wage and hour rules, and helping workers enjoy a happy holiday season. Some workers, however, will receive the proverbial coal, as a result of employers’ inadvertent, or intentional, failure to pay all wages.
The U.S. Department of Labor has tips for workers and employers to make sure the holidays are happy for all.
As we close in on election day, one thing seems clear: no matter what their political affiliation, voters want an end to corporations’ manipulations to boost profits and the pay of their top officers at the expense of working people.
In a survey conducted by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), 84% of those surveyed — Democrats and Republicans across age groups — disapproved of corporations misclassifying employees as “independent contractors.” “[P]olling shows that 7 in 10 voters don’t trust employers to treat their employees fairly. A majority of voters believes that working hard isn’t enough anymore, because companies simply aren’t loyal to their employees. The strategy of hiring workers as contractors, even if lawfully done, is still offensive to most of us. By 78 percent to 12 percent, voters feel that workers are better off as direct employees than as independent contractors.”
WJP is working with the La. Workforce Commission to make sure workers and employers understand what it means to be an independent contractor. Most workers are employees and should be treated that way.
Check this list to find out if you should be an employee or independent contractor.
Today the Obama administration and Secretary of Labor Tom Perez unveil a new rule that expands eligibility for overtime pay. The new regulations increase the income threshold below which salaried workers must be paid time-and-a-half for hours worked over 40 per week.
President Obama and Secretary of Labor Tom Perez announce new overtime regulations.
On August 18, Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed into law a new living wage ordinance for New Orleans’ city contractors and financial assistance recipients.
“If you’re working full-time, you should not be living below the poverty line,” Landrieu said.
The ordinance was sponsored by Councilmember Jared Brossett. It will apply to city contractors with contracts worth at least $25,000 and to companies or organizations that receive more than $100,000 in financial assistance from the city, including subsidies and tax breaks, over a 12-month period. Covered businesses must also provide workers with seven days of paid sick leave annually.
Read more here: http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/13205062-123/landrieu-signs-living-wage-ordinance