WHO ARE WE: CRLA was founded in 1966 to fight for justice and protect the rights of the most vulnerable people in our society. Through our network of regional offices and programs, we provide essential legal services to tens of thousands of low-income individuals every year. Our work positively impacts farmworkers, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, children, and low-income families living in rural areas.
POSITION DETAILS
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Position: Community Worker - Rural Justice Unit (RJU)
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Experience: 6+ months
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Application Deadline: Open until filled
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Location: Stockton
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Long Term Position: Through June 30, 2025, with the possibility of extension based on grant renewal and job performance.
- Other: This is a full-time (non-exempt), union position with benefits
The Rural Justice Unit is looking for a Community Worker to join our team. This role primarily focuses on assisting individuals with disabilities in San Joaquin County in accessing the benefits they need, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Social Security Retirement or Survivors Benefits, Veterans Disability Compensation benefits, and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI). This position is currently funded through a grant that ends on June 30, 2025, but there is potential for it to be extended based on the renewal of the grant and the performance in this role.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
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Client Interviews: Engage with clients to determine their eligibility for disability benefits, helping them gather the necessary documentation and information for their applications and/or appeals.
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Application Assistance: Provide support throughout the disability benefits application process, which includes assisting with form completion, gathering medical evidence, and submitting applications and appeals in a timely manner.
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Case Management: Maintain a caseload of clients, ensuring timely follow-ups on their applications and appeals, while keeping detailed records of all interactions and progress.
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Advocacy: Act as an advocate for clients in their interactions with government/local agencies, healthcare providers, and other service providers, aiming to secure the benefits they deserve.
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Connecting Clients to Services: Help clients access additional support services such as healthcare, mental health services, housing assistance, and transportation.
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Primary Care Support: Assist clients in scheduling primary care appointments and obtaining updated medical records.
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Legal Representation: Provide representation in administrative hearings and other settings appropriate for non-lawyers and help with the preparation of simple documents using standard forms.
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Program Compliance: Adhere to the Housing Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) rules and regulations, ensuring accurate record-keeping and documentation.
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Travel: Travel within San Joaquin County as needed to meet with clients.
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Other Duties: Additional tasks may be assigned by the Supervisor as needed.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
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Experience with SSA Cases: A background in navigating the Social Security Administration (SSA) process, including applications, obtaining benefits, and appealing denials, would be highly valuable. Experience or familiarity with social work, social services, or related fields.
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Communication Skills: Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, especially when working with diverse client groups, including those in crisis, seniors, people with disabilities, people of color, the homeless, immigrants, non-English speakers, service providers, government employees, and community partners.
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Teamwork & Independence: The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is important. Being able to manage pressure with empathy and professionalism is key.
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Organizational and Case Management: Strong verbal, writing, organizational and case management skills are needed.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
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Experience or familiarity with social work, social services, or related fields.
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Experience working or volunteering with social service or non-profit organizations.
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Knowledge of or experience with the Social Security Administration (SSA) application and appeal process.
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Familiarity with HMIS (Homeless Management Information System).
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Experience working with individuals with disabilities and vulnerable populations.
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Strong personal work ethic, initiative, and the ability to organize time effectively.
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A desire to learn and share knowledge with team members.
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Spanish-English fluency or fluency in a language other than English spoken by the CRLA client community.
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Applicants must have a car and car insurance.
COMPENSATION:
We offer a diverse, family-friendly environment and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries; generous benefits package which includes 100% employer-covered medical, dental, vision, life, and short & long-term disability insurance for employees and up to 50% for dependents coverage; and 401K retirement plan with CRLA contribution effective immediately. Generous paid leave policy which includes: 15 days of sick leave, 15 holidays each year, and vacation (accrue 15 days for the first year of service and 20 days after one year of service at CRLA). This is a union position (Legal Service Workers for Rural California "LSWRC"), and the estimated starting hourly range for this position is $24.10 - $37.44 (placement in the range is primarily determined by years of related experience). Multilingual differential pay is available after passing oral & written assessments.
CRLA requires that all employees are fully vaccinated, defined as a CDC-approved COVID vaccination and one booster shot. This offer is contingent on meeting this requirement. The complete vaccination policy, including the process for reasonable allowable accommodations, is available for your review upon request.
California Rural Legal Assistance thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.
