Worker Justice Center of New York
The Worker Justice Center of New York pursues justice for those denied human rights with a focus on agricultural and other low-wage workers, through legal representation, community empowerment and advocacy for institutional change.
The Worker Justice Center of New York is the merger of Farmworker Legal Service of NY (FLSNY) and the Workers’ Rights Law Center (WRLC). Our merger builds on decades of achievement in providing direct legal services to low-wage workers, empowering communities, and advocating for institutional change.
The WRLC was founded in 2003 by former Farmworker Legal Services of New York attorneys Dan Werner and Tricia Kakalec. As more and more non-farmworkers were calling their office at FLSNY, they realized there was a need for legal services and legal education for non-agricultural low-wage workers. The WRLC was created to address this need.
The WRLC was incorporated in July 2003 and moved closer to becoming a reality when, in the summer of 2004, Tricia and Dan were awarded an Echoing Green Foundation fellowship to support the creation of the project. The Dyson Foundation and other colleagues, unions, board members, family, and friends provided the other important support that allowed the WRLC to open its doors.