Understanding DC 37 Legal Services
The New York City Municipal Employees Legal Services (DC 37 Legal Services) program provides comprehensive legal representation to members of the District Council 37 Union who are found to be eligible for the services. The program was created pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement between the City of New York and The District Council 37 Legal Services Fund, Inc. and is governed by an agreement between the Legal Services Fund, Inc and the Rodriguez Civil Service Bar Association, an affiliate of the New York County Lawyers’ Association, the largest local bar association in New York State. Under this agreement, DC 37 Legal Services is managed by the Rodriguez Civil Service Bar Association, with funding provided to the Association’s Legal Services Fund, Inc.
Eligible members have access to all types of legal assistance encompassing federal, state, and municipal matters in civil law such as Immigration , Labor Relations, Social Security, Real Estate and Tax issues. Types of coverage available include court representation, negotiation, and arbitration for a wide range of civil law issues which are not considered personal legal problems. Members and their eligible family members are entitled to free legal advice on any legal issue. Members can also receive free unlimited telephone legal advice from a staff attorney. Our Legal Services office handles approximately 18,000 calls for telephone legal advice each year. We even provide employees and their eligible family members with legal information and advice on the telephone concerning the completion of workers’ compensation forms. There is no cost to you. We can help you with disputes with your landlord or homeowner association and other real estate issues, including tax problems. We also provide legal advice to members involved in child support matters and family law issues.
Who Is Eligible and How to Access
Eligibility for DC 37 legal services is determined primarily through union membership. Members of District Council 37, as well as employees represented by DC 37 affiliates and joint councils, can seek legal representation in labor and employment matters. Services are available in all five of the District’s counties: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
Legal services are available to union members in legal matters that involve their jobs, including labor court cases, appeals, arbitrations, and hearings at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH). A "legal matter" is defined as a claim related to one’s employment with a municipal agency where the possibility of monetary damages exceeds $25,000.
Formal membership is not necessary to qualify for legal services if the applicant is a "covered employee," as defined under the District Council 37 Eligibility Policy. A covered employee is an employee covered by a labor management agreement between District Council 37 and an employer within the scope of District Council 37 Bylaws; the person is eligible for membership or a member of a local union wherein District Council 37 serves as the Local’s umbrella organization; and the person is a member of a pension fund under the NYC Board of Education, NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and NYC Housing Authority.
Hardship cases and other exceptions to the eligibility policy are reviewed by the Delta Fund Advisory Board. It is recommended that one-month’s notice be provided ahead of any department hearings and appeals. Documentation should be submitted in-house to the particular unit handling the hardship case.
The Different Types of Legal Services Offered
DC 37 members have access to a wide range of legal services. These services are provided to municipal employees and their families in four main areas: employment law, real estate law, family law, and miscellaneous legal services. Employment law includes common legal issues arising during the course of the employer-employee relationship. This category covers a variety of legal concerns, including: wrongful termination; discrimination in the workplace; claims of overtime pay; denial of promotions or benefits; sexual harassment; and other issues related to civil service law and dispute resolution. Real estate law involves standard transactional issues which may impact DC 37 members in the course of buying, selling, or refinancing property. This category of service includes residential real estate closings, title search and transfer, and legal review of mortgages and contracts. Family law addresses issues which may arise in relation to spousal or child support; divorce proceedings; custody disputes; domestic violence; and same-sex marriage or partnership. Family law assistance is provided to spouses or partners of municipal employees if the DC 37 member is a party to the action. Miscellaneous legal services includes a number of issues falling outside the scope of the three categories above. For example, this category includes: healthcare disputes; contract claims; insurance claims; legal review of wills and trusts; and claims against lawyers or accountants.
The Costs and Coverage Explained
The legal services provided by DC 37 to its members are offered at no cost to the member. Managed by DC 37 members and staff, the legal services depend on the funding from the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services. There is no cost to the worker for getting assistance through the Labor Relations and Law Division. We are able to do this because, as a group, DC 37 members are eligible for legal assistance, for themselves and their immediate families, under the Office of Indigent Legal Services (OILS). The OILS provides funding to legal services workers according to their performance and case-attorney ratios. As a member of DC 37, you are covered by the OILS.
How to Reach DC 37 Legal Services
The DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services are accessible in a number of ways for municipal employees. Most importantly, they can be reached via telephone at 212-815-1215, which is the switchboard of the DC 37 Member Services Division. This phone number is available for DC 37 members to call for general information about the Legal Services program.
Another central hub for DC 37 municipal employee membership and legal assistance is the DC 37 online member portal, which is accessible at www.dc37.net when members log in with their credentials. Members can also contact DC 37 Legal Services representatives through the DC 37 offices directly in person or via mail at 125 Barclay Street, New York, NY 10007 . The DC 37 Member Services Division may also have branch offices that provide DC 37 municipal employees with legal services assistance near where they work. Members should check back occasionally for updates on DC 37 Legal Services office availability.
Comprehensive information regarding Legal Services assistance can be downloaded from the DC 37 website. Municipal employees can access all other Legal Services firm information directly on the DC 37 site if they log in with their membership information. In addition, municipal employees have the ability to access DC 37 Member Services via email.
Legal Services represents a critical support for municipal employees. Whether through phone contact, email, or in-person visits, DC 37 provides municipal employees with necessary legal representation and advocacy.
Case Studies and Success Stories
The overwhelming majority of cases handled by DC 37 legal services attorneys are won or settled successfully. Over the past 40 years, DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services has represented thousands of members in a variety of matters including Equal Employment Opportunities Commission complaints and court suits, as well as grievances and arbitration proceedings. The following are a few examples of cases resolved in the DC 37 legal services’ members’ favor.
A member was wrongly accused of pawning her city-issued dining hall/food service Employee Meal Cards. She was initially found guilty of the charge and placed on a one-year probation. After the member contacted legal services and an attorney filed an appeal, the case was reopened and the initial decision was overturned.
A member was handcuffed, placed in an "emergency observation" bed and was not provided any food to eat for eight hours. Through an investigation, the legal services attorney proved that the member was under no threat of harming herself or others, and was subsequently released without further incident.
A member was denied coverage for a medication that cost $200 per month due to his health plan’s new mail order pharmacy requirement. After a letter appeal, the health plan agreed to send the member his medication free of charge.
Common Inquiries
Frequently Asked Questions About DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services
Q: What are the eligibility requirements for DC 37 members to use the Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS)?
A: DC 37 members have access to unlimited advice on a wide range of legal matters, with a $50 flat fee for problems in New York City and surrounding counties. Members can also take advantage of a 25 percent discount plus a free consultation on legally experienced referrals outside of New York City 34 surrounding counties.
Q: Where can I find an attorney listed in the DC 37 referral service?
A: The MELS offers attorney referrals for legal matters that the union staff attorneys do not handle.
Q: What is the cost of DC 37’s staff and referral services?
A: Members pay nothing for staff attorneys’ services such as legal consultation and advice , drafting legal documents, appearances in civil court and most administrative agencies and matters in New York. A $50 fee is charged for administrative matters in surrounding counties, including Queens, Nassau and Westchester. Any matter outside New York City and surrounding counties is discounted 25 percent and members receive a free consultation on a legally experienced referral.
Q: Can I see DC 37 attorneys year-round?
A: Yes. Staff attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for members’ legal needs. Members can call the MELS reception desk, which is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call the MELS attorney on call phone service after hours and weekends.