Legal Aid Chicago works to ensure that low-wage Chicagoland workers receive the equitable support that they deserve. We help our clients receive unemployment insurance benefits, receive wage claims, fight employment discrimination and wrongful termination, and more.
For 13 years, Jerry worked as a contract employee for the Illinois Department of Human Services. He loved his job as administrator of a federal grant program that helped reduce infant mortality and improve neonatal health—and according to his supervisors, he excelled at it.
One day, the department received notice of a program audit, where Jerry was asked to take the lead. An auditor inquired about a payment of nearly $100, 000 and Jerry stated the payment was unauthorized and reported the person he thought was responsible, a fiscal manager. That manager made two claims about the payment that Jerry knew were wrong, so he corrected those statements.
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The next day, Jerry’s supervisor told to him that he should have remained quiet and let the manager handle the questions. After this incident, when Jerry’s contract was considered for renewal, the employer refused, saying his job had to be filled by a union member under the collective bargaining agreement. This seemed unlikely, so Jerry sought assistance from Legal Aid Chicago.
Legal Aid Chicago took his case all the way to trial, convincing the judge not only that Jerry’s whistleblowing activity influenced the decision not to renew his contract, but that the law did not permit the employer to retaliate by refusing to renew a contract any more than it would permit firing—an issue that had not yet been determined by Illinois courts. The employer appealed, and the appellate court affirmed in a published decision, making clear that the law prohibits employers from retaliating against whistleblowing employees by refusing to renew their contracts just as it prohibits other adverse action. The resulting legal decision will help protect other vulnerable employees stay employed when they do the right thing by reporting wrongful conduct.
Today, Jerry is back on his feet, and seeing Legal Aid Chicago attorneys at work, inspired him to go to law school to become a lawyer himself.
Larry C. Jurgens
“Becoming a lawyer is a dream come true.” Jerry said. “It’s a key step to me being able to provide the type of quality service that Legal Aid Chicago gave to me.”and the Chinese American Service League (CASL) partner to provide pro bono legal assistance to clients on a wide range of legal issues. CASL Legal Services provides equal access to justice to Asian Americans who meet income and residency requirements. CASL’s work during the pandemic has been essential helping low-income clients facing unique legal and financial challenges.
In February 2021, Crystal came to CASL Legal Services after receiving a letter from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The letter claimed that she had been overpaid unemployment benefits. Crystal was being asked to pay back over $11, 000.
Crystal was just one of many workers whose job security was affected by the pandemic. After working for her employer for more than a decade, she found herself out of a job when her office shut down due to the Illinois Stay-At-Home Order. When she finally returned to work, Crystal’s hours were gradually reduced and eventually eliminated.
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Although Crystal had a legitimate claim for unemployment, her former employer disagreed. CASL Managing Attorney, Kim Leung, and volunteers Yunge Li (Corporate Counsel at LabCorp) and Valerie Chu (JD Candidate at UIC Chicago College of Law), represented Crystal at her “referee” hearing. The referee judge’s job is to re-examine an applicant’s claim and look at the evidence supporting unemployment.
The referee judge issued a decision partially Crystal’s favor, finding that she was entitled to receive benefits only while her employer had closed the workplace but not after it reopened. Kim helped Crystal appeal the unfavorable part of the decision, and they won. The IDES Board of Review found that the employer had reduced Crystal’s hours to the point of layoff, meaning she was entitled to full benefits!
Crystal originally came to CASL feeling panicked at the prospect of paying back $11, 000, money which she had already spent on her and her family's basic needs. When Crystal finally received the Board of Review's decision and saw that she did not owe anything, she told us that she felt great joy and relief and that her experience with CASL and restored her faith in justice.In today’s employment climate, employees need help protecting their rights. With over 35 years of experience advocating for employees, Lori Ecker has earned a national reputation and the respect of her clients and peers.
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Identified as one of the top 100 employment lawyers in the country, Lori Ecker has received many honors for her advocacy on behalf of employees. Most recently, she was named by Best Lawyers of America as its 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Employment Law – Individuals in Chicago, due to the extremely high feedback Best Lawyers® received from her peers. Ecker has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 2009 and was previously selected as 2015 “Lawyer of the Year.”
Lori Ecker provides knowledgeable representation to clients who have been subjected to sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, discrimination because of race, religion, age, pregnancy, national origin, or sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity), or who have suffered retaliatory or wrongful termination. She has the experience and resources to represent employees in disputes involving the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, whistleblower retaliation, Workers’ Compensation retaliatory discharge claims, and unemployment compensation, among others.
Ms. Ecker is particularly skilled in all matters relating to employment contracts, including severance agreements, executive compensation contracts and non-compete agreements. She brings the full force of her extensive experience and knowledge to bear to help her mid- and upper-level executive clients determine their goals and negotiate favorable compensation packages. Ms. Ecker has successfully negotiated settlements with and litigated against virtually all of the larger management law firms in the Chicago area, whose clients have included many Fortune 500 corporations.
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Ms. Ecker’s dedication to protecting the rights of individual employees translates into close, personal attention to each of her clients. Whether you are a senior executive, mid-level manager, or perform clerical or blue-collar work, Ms. Ecker will personally manage your case and make sure you are fully informed about all of your options. It is her goal to always get the best possible result for each client.
Ms. Ecker is also a court-certified, trained mediator who helps resolve employment matters as both a party advocate and a neutral mediator. Contact Lori Ecker for superior representation and counsel in all employment law matters.
If the intern performs work that benefits the employer and that would otherwise be performed by a regular employee, it is unlikely to be an internship. Interns are not a way to get free labor.
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