Legal Aid at Work
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Legal Aid at Work partners with people to help them understand and assert their workplace rights. We also advocate for employment laws and systems that empower low-paid workers and marginalized communities.
- Income
- $13.3 million
- Spending
- $10.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 18.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 58
- Volunteers
- 120
- Highest pay
- $301,637, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2573 of 73 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $7.0 million spent. We, along with co-counsel, secured a $730,000 settlement for 23 Filipino workers who were trafficked into forced labor at a rural hospitality complex. Brought to the U.S. on H-2B visas, these workers were lured with false promises of fair wages, free housing, meals, and visa reimbursementonly to arrive and face extreme exploitation, poverty wages, and broken promises. After more than six years of relentless advocacy, we ensured that every worker received compensation for the harm they endured, reaffirming that no employer is above the law.We reached a historic nationwide settlement with the Department of Defense on behalf of over 30,000 LGBTQ+ veterans discharged under Dont Ask, Dont Tell. The settlement was secured alongside co- counsel at the Impact Fund, King & Spalding LLP, and Haynes and Boone, LLP. It streamlines the process for veterans to upgrade their discharge paperwork to honorable, removes stigmatizing references to their sexual orientation, and provides access to critical VA healthcare and other benefits.We helped set statewide legal precedents, like the groundbreaking decision we and our partners at the Law Offices of Daniel Ray Bacon obtained from the California Supreme Court in Bailey v. San Francisco District Attorneys Office. The Court unanimously held that a single use of the N-word by a coworker can constitute actionable racial harassment, offering stronger protections for employees across the stateWe represented a cook at a small-town restaurant in Northern California who endured relentless sexual harassment from her managersexual objectification, false sexual rumors, and a toxic work environment where co-workers branded her a whore. As a monolingual Spanish-speaking immigrant and a single mother of two children, she was afraid to report the abuse for fear of losing her job. After she finally came forward, the restaurant owner dismissed her as crazy, refused to intervene, and reduced her hours in retaliation.Through amicus advocacy, we helped secure a crucial victory in the California Supreme Court, blocking the Taxpayer Deception Act from the November ballot. The measure would have threatened vital programs, including recent improvements to Californias Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance programs that we had previously helped pass that increased the benefit rates for Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance from 60% to 90% for most low-to-middle income workers.We provided individualized legal advice and counsel to nearly 3,000 workers in the past year, including through 273 Workers Rights Clinics we operated out of 13 locations across the state. We operate our clinics in close partnership with 8 law schools, 145+ law students, 100 volunteer attorneys, and 11 community- based organizations.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1982.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.