For many job seekers, training programs and resume assistance are insufficient support to break into the workforce. Underlying legal issues can prevent people from finding meaningful work. This can include destabilizing situations such as custody battles, back-owed child support, domestic violence, and sub-standard housing. Job seekers may face issues of wage theft, criminal records, unpaid student loans, negative or inaccurate credit reports, and suspended driver’s licenses. These issues disproportionately affect low-income earners and people of color. Many of these problems could be overcome with the assistance of an attorney, which can also be a barrier.

DCPL has long offered jobseeker assistance programs, but library staff are unequipped to address legal concerns. In 2014, DCPL and NLSP partnered to secure a District grant, which has since been supplemented with LSTA funding, to hire a dedicated attorney to support legal programming at the library. The attorney is embedded in DCPL jobseeker clinics and regularly conducts additional Breaking Barriers information sessions on topics such as credit reports and pregnancy/family responsibilities. Many clinic attendees had no idea these factors could be holding them back from finding employment and approach the attorney with their own stories.

Since Breaking Barriers to Employment began in May 2014, NLSP attorneys have conducted approximately 240 one-on-one consultations at “Job Seeker Drop in Legal Clinics” in targeted library locations. Virtually all of the attendees were low-income and most were African American. Most were wrestling with problems that revealed a possible legal barrier to employment, including the consequences of criminal records, the impact of credit reports, discrimination concerns, and problems with housing and custody. Between October 2015 and June 2016, 73 patrons were referred directly to legal services providers to help them resolve their specific issues.