Assisting with Unemployment Benefits
Mr. Yohanna Gerges applied for Unemployment after the pandemic caused his Uber and Lyft driving business to shut down. He was approved for unemployment, but because of a mistake made by the state labor department, he was determined to have been “overpaid” $13,900 in unemployment benefits. He was immediately cut off from receiving unemployment and the state began recouping his ongoing benefits before he could even appeal the decision. After the state exhausted his ongoing benefits, they found that he still owed over $10,000 and would be sent to collections. New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty advocated for the state to adopt a federal option to waive overpayments caused by the state agency and represented Mr. Gerges to seek a waiver of his overpayment. As a result, Mr. Gerges will not be responsible for the illegal debt.
Mr. Yohanna Gerges applied for Unemployment after the pandemic caused his Uber and Lyft driving business to shut down. He was approved for unemployment, but because of a mistake made by the state labor department, he was determined to have been “overpaid” $13,900 in unemployment benefits. He was immediately cut off from receiving unemployment and the state began recouping his ongoing benefits before he could even appeal the decision. After the state exhausted his ongoing benefits, they found that he still owed over $10,000 and would be sent to collections. New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty advocated for the state to adopt a federal option to waive overpayments caused by the state agency and represented Mr. Gerges to seek a waiver of his overpayment. As a result, Mr. Gerges will not be responsible for the illegal debt.
Assisting with Debt Relief
When a disabled retired gentleman was sued by a telephone company after one of his relatives racked up nearly $1,000 in calls on his phone, DNA-People's Legal Services provided assistance. This man's situation is perhaps not so unusual. In many Native American cultures, all property is considered to belong to the community. For example, if one person in a family or neighborhood has a phone, everyone comes and uses it; there’s no reason to get one’s own phone if there’s another one available to use. In this case, the situation got out of hand. DNA negotiated a settlement with the phone company to reduce the debt by several hundred dollars and to allow the client to make monthly payments until the balance was paid off. DNA also successfully advocated for the judge to order $100 per month of the relative’s “per capita” payments from the tribe, to be paid to our client until paid in full.
When a disabled retired gentleman was sued by a telephone company after one of his relatives racked up nearly $1,000 in calls on his phone, DNA-People's Legal Services provided assistance. This man's situation is perhaps not so unusual. In many Native American cultures, all property is considered to belong to the community. For example, if one person in a family or neighborhood has a phone, everyone comes and uses it; there’s no reason to get one’s own phone if there’s another one available to use. In this case, the situation got out of hand. DNA negotiated a settlement with the phone company to reduce the debt by several hundred dollars and to allow the client to make monthly payments until the balance was paid off. DNA also successfully advocated for the judge to order $100 per month of the relative’s “per capita” payments from the tribe, to be paid to our client until paid in full.
Addressing Issues Preventing Employment
DNA-People's Legal Services represented a man living in poverty who was seeking employment. The man sought several positions, but he was routinely denied because a background check revealed a minor criminal charge in the 1970’s out of Arkansas. DNA learned that his charge had been ordered expunged by an Arkansas court; however, the Arkansas Crime Information Center sent the order to the F.B.I. with insufficient information. Therefore, the ordered expunged criminal charge remained on the man's record. After reviewing the documents and regulations regarding expunged crimes, DNA successfully worked with the FBI in correcting the issue. DNA's client found employment, and his background checks now come back clean.
DNA-People's Legal Services represented a man living in poverty who was seeking employment. The man sought several positions, but he was routinely denied because a background check revealed a minor criminal charge in the 1970’s out of Arkansas. DNA learned that his charge had been ordered expunged by an Arkansas court; however, the Arkansas Crime Information Center sent the order to the F.B.I. with insufficient information. Therefore, the ordered expunged criminal charge remained on the man's record. After reviewing the documents and regulations regarding expunged crimes, DNA successfully worked with the FBI in correcting the issue. DNA's client found employment, and his background checks now come back clean.