Cy pres awards make our advocacy possible.
WorkLife Law is a national leader in the fight for gender and racial justice, economic security, and health equity for workers, students, and the families they care for. By strengthening legal rights for pregnant people and family caregivers, our advocacy ensures all people have the freedom to build and maintain economic security, without having to sacrifice their health or their loved ones’ care.
WorkLife Law is fully self-funded through individual donations, private and government grants, earned income (e.g., speaking fees), and cy pres awards. Past cy pres awards have made it possible to run our national legal helpline for free to all callers; provide technical assistance to attorneys; and educate workers, students, healthcare providers, social workers, and employers about civil rights protections. In short, cy pres awards enable WorkLife Law to advance justice for workers and students struggling to maintain their economic security while taking care of their own health and their families.
Learn more about WorkLife Law’s mission, strategies, and impact.What is a cy pres award?
Cy pres awards are a critical source of funding for WorkLife Law. Cy pres awards arise when class action settlements or other court cases have funds that cannot be distributed to the intended recipients (for example, class members who cannot be located or amounts too small to distribute). Courts can direct these funds to be paid to a charitable organization, such as WorkLife Law.
Is WorkLife Law a proper cy pres recipient under federal and state law?
Absolutely.
Federal law
WorkLife Law is a proper recipient of cy pres funds in federal court nationwide in cases brought under a broad range of substantive areas of the law. We are a national organization that directly serves workers and students in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. WorkLife Law increases access to justice in employment, education, and healthcare – with a particular focus on economic security, gender, race, and reproductive health. In the employment law context, cases brought under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, PUMP Act, ADA, FMLA, Title VII, and FLSA are likely to have a particularly strong nexus to our work.
California state law
WorkLife Law is a proper recipient of cy pres funds in class actions in California state court. California Code of Civil Procedure §384 instructs courts to authorize cy pres awards “in a manner designed either to further the purposes of the underlying class action or causes of action, or to promote justice for all Californians” (emphasis added). WorkLife Law’s free legal helpline provides direct assistance to workers and students across the state, ensuring they have the information and practical support they need to access critical legal rights that protect their economic security and health. WorkLife Law also creates and disseminates comprehensive tools for self-advocacy, empowering workers and students to seek justice on their own behalf. As such, WorkLife Law is a proper recipient of cy pres funds in class action cases in California state court.
States around the country
WorkLife Law is a proper recipient of cy pres funds in state courts around the country in cases involving a broad range of substantive areas of the law. The rules on who is a proper cy pres recipient vary from state to state, but WorkLife Law is a national organization that directly serves workers and students in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Our attorneys also provide technical assistance to lawyers and state agencies around the country, as well as state-specific resources nationwide. Please contact us to learn more about the impact our work has had to advance justice in your state.
We would love to talk with you about the possibility of designating WorkLife Law as a cy pres recipient. Please contact us at CyPres@WorkLifeLaw.org to learn more or to request a declaration in support of your motion to designate WorkLife Law today.