at Legal Aid Chicago (Formerly LAF) in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Job Description
For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.
Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.
Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Social Worker to be a part of its Client Support Services department (CSS). CSS staff are part of an interdisciplinary legal services model, working with attorneys and paralegals to provide holistic services to Legal Aid Chicago clients to increase their stability and improve and sustain their legal outcomes.
This position will primarily focus on our work with immigrants and survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
The Social Worker reports to the Director of Client Support Services.
Responsibilities include, without limitation:
- Assess client needs and link them to appropriate services, such as rental assistance, self-help services, community mental health services, job and housing services
- Advocate for and support clients’ interaction with service providers, caseworkers, and others, including independent review of reports, treatment plans, and other materials issued by social services agencies
- Consult with Legal Aid Chicago attorneys and staff on behalf of clients, including analysis of social work and mental health issues impacting clients, and identification of services to resolve issues which arise during the legal representation
- Conduct follow up with other agencies and service providers to ensure compliance with agreed upon or court-ordered services and treatment
- Participate in case acceptance and case evaluation meetings with legal staff
- Assist other staff in making informed decisions about case management issues, including assessing client’s capacity to benefit from proposed services
- Conduct independent research on issues relating to clients’ needs and other social service issues and social science research to assist legal staff in understanding larger, systemic issues impacting our client population
- Conduct in-house training and education for staff on mental health, social work and other issues
- Participate in community legal education for client groups and service providers
- Supervise social work internship students
- Assist with grant reporting, as applicable
- Perform such other duties as are reasonably related to the duties of the Social Worker as may be assigned from time to time by the supervisor
Salary and Benefits:
This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience.
The budgeted salary range for this position is $64,513-$70,387, which reflects 0-10 years of paid, credited experience.
Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Bilingual Social Workers are eligible for an additional stipend
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
- Time Off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
- 19 paid holidays, including four (4) floating holidays
- Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
- 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment
- $50,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
- Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
- Monthly internet reimbursement
- Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program
