Social Worker

DC 37 represents workers who make the City of New York run: Our members maintain bridges, parks, roads, and subways; they care for the sick and the elderly; they protect school children crossing the street; they staff hospitals, schools, libraries, social service centers and city colleges; they do IT work and clerical duties in many different agencies. Our state workers uphold rent regulations and serve as interpreters and reporters in the courts. These various workers are united in District Council 37, which is part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

The mission and work of DC-37 is focused on improving our union members’ lives on the job and in their communities. As such, we believe social justice, including tenants’ rights, affordable housing, consumer protections and child care are important union issues.

Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) is a benefit that provides free legal services to employees and retirees covered under the union’s collective bargaining agreement. MELS, funded through employer contributions to DC 37’s Health and Security Plan, is the largest union legal service plan of its kind and provides representation in a variety of cases, such as landlord-tenant cases, bankruptcies, consumer debt actions, foreclosures, divorces, family law cases, immigration matters, real estate transactions, drafting life planning documents and more. Services are provided by specialized teams of lawyers, social workers and legal assistants who represent clients in New York City and in Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Social Workers provide crisis intervention and short term counseling services, perform clinical assessments and provide referrals and resources to clients as needed, provide psychoeducation and case management services, facilitate group counseling services, including Financial Empowerment workshops, appear in court and at agency conferences as needed, perform home visits, assist clients with applications for benefits and provide supervision to graduate social work interns.

Social Workers participate in AFSCME’s defined benefit pension plan (pension benefits vest after five years of service), receive employer paid health, prescription drug, dental and optical coverage and generous paid leave.

To apply forward a resume and cover letter to Bill Whalen, MELS Director and Chief Counsel, 125 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10007, email wwhalen@dc37.net.