Worker Justice Center of New York

What Worker Justice Center of New York does

Worker Justice Center of New York (WJCNY) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free legal representation, immigration services, anti-human trafficking intervention, community outreach, and legislative advocacy to farmworkers and other low-wage workers across New York State. Founded in 2011 through the merger of Farmworker Legal Services of New York (incorporated 1981) and the Workers' Rights Law Center (2003), WJCNY carries 45 years of institutional history serving a largely rural, geographically isolated, and linguistically diverse population through 25 staff across three regional offices in Kingston (Hudson Valley), Rochester (Western New York), and Hawthorne (Lower Hudson Valley). The organization delivers an integrated service model spanning direct legal services in wage theft, discrimination, retaliation, H-2A/H-2B violations, and immigration; community-based know-your-rights education; investigation and survivor support for labor trafficking; and coalition-led advocacy campaigns (Green Light NY, Fund Excluded Workers, Farm Laborer's Fair Labor Practices Act).

WJCNY's core operational model is non-commercial: clients receive all services at no cost, and the organization charges no fees for representation. There is no underlying technology platform, software product, or proprietary AI — the "product" is human legal expertise, in-person outreach, and impact litigation. The organization has been recognized with milestones including a top-100 U.S. labor and employment verdict in 2019, recovery of millions of dollars in unpaid wages over decades, leadership in securing $2.1 billion in pandemic relief for excluded workers in 2021, and the Candid Platinum Seal of transparency in 2026.

Revenue is generated entirely through grants and charitable donations rather than client fees or commercial pricing. The organization relies on a mix of foundation grants, government funding (notably OSHA for COVID-19 training and the Office of Victims of Crime for anti-trafficking work), restricted fellowships (Skadden, Equal Justice Works), and individual donations channeled through a NationBuilder-based donate page. With 5,000+ workers and families served annually across dozens of New York counties, WJCNY's financial scale is modest relative to its geographic and case-load footprint, and the absence of disclosed revenue, Form 990, or funder roster data in the source material limits precise revenue triangulation.

Name

Worker Justice Center of New York

Legal name

Worker Justice Center of New York

Website

https://wjcny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Worker Justice Center of New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free legal services, advocacy, and anti-human trafficking support to farmworkers and other low-wage workers across New York State, reaching 5,000+ individuals annually through 25 staff in three regional offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

HR Compliance, Employment Law & Employee Relations Training (EDABAIAE)

Keywords

• Legal aid services
• Farmworker advocacy
• Workers' rights representation
• Immigration legal services
• Anti-human trafficking

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, WJCNY is funded through grants and charitable donations. The organization provides free legal services and does not charge clients for representation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Worker Justice Center of New York (WJCNY) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free legal representation, community outreach, and advocacy for farmworkers and other low-wage workers in New York State. Its integrated programs cover workplace rights, wage theft, immigration, discrimination, and labor trafficking through direct service, education, and systemic policy campaigns.

Product overview

Worker Justice Center of New York provides a unified suite of legal, advocacy, outreach, and anti-human trafficking services for agricultural and low-wage workers across New York State. The organization operates through four integrated core programs: Legal Services (litigation and immigration representation), Advocacy (legislative campaigns), Outreach & Education (community workshops and materials), and Anti-Human Trafficking. Supporting these are specialized resources including the Green Light NY Driver's License Program, COVID-19 safety training, and Workers' Rights Booklets—all designed to serve a largely rural population through direct service, education, and systemic advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services Free legal representation for farmworkers and low-wage workers in New York, including litigation, immigration representation, wage theft claims, discrimination cases, and survivor support services. For migrant and seasonal farmworkers and other low-wage workers across New York State.
• Advocacy Programs Legislative advocacy campaigns advancing workers' rights, including the Farm Laborer's Fair Labor Practices Act, Excluded Workers Fund, Green Light Law, NY Hero Act, and campaigns for living wage and worker protections. For farmworkers, low-wage workers, and immigrant communities across New York.
• Outreach & Education Know-your-rights workshops, community outreach, and education programs reaching over 5,000 workers annually, covering workplace health and safety, wage protections, discrimination, housing, and immigrant rights. For farmworkers and other low-wage workers in rural and urban communities across New York State.
• Anti-Human Trafficking Program Investigation and disruption of labor trafficking schemes, survivor-centered support services, and training for service providers and law enforcement on labor trafficking identification and response. For labor trafficking survivors, service providers, and law enforcement partners across New York.
• Green Light NY Driver's License Program Assistance helping immigrant New Yorkers obtain driver's licenses regardless of immigration status, including study materials, practice tests, and Know Your Rights education in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. For immigrant community members across New York State.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recovered millions in unpaid wages for clients through litigation over decades of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ulster Immigrant Defense NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network to create a webinar for workers seeking to obtain their driver's license in New York State, helping them study for the written exam and receive their learner's permit. The webinar is in Spanish with accompanying study materials.
• Green Light NY CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition of immigrant communities, advocates, allies, and partners working to ensure equal access to driver's licenses for all New York residents regardless of immigration status. WJCNY helped secure passage of the Green Light legislation in 2021 and continues to support implementation statewide.
• Fund Excluded Workers CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition that won $2.1 billion in pandemic relief for excluded workers in 2021. WJCNY's Director of Advocacy, Outreach, & Education serves on the steering committee. The coalition is currently fighting to permanently repair gaps in New York's unemployment social safety net.
• CARE for Immigrant Families (Campaign for Access, Representation, and Equity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocating to establish a right to counsel in immigrant legal services and invest in legal services for the Office of New Americans.
• Community-Based Organizations and Member-Led OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWJCNY collaborates with community-based and member-led organizations to build strong statewide coalitions that center the voices, leadership, and policy priorities of immigrant workers. The organization also partners with legal services providers and human service agencies to expand access to support.
• Law Enforcement and Service ProvidersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWJCNY's human trafficking team partners with law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable, while providing victim-centered training for service providers and law enforcement. The team also partners with the legal team to support survivors with services promoting safety, dignity, and self-determination.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Legal Services of the Hudson Valley: Regional New York legal services nonprofit providing free civil legal aid. Directly comparable in mission, free-services model, and geography; multiple WJCNY staff came from LSHV (Staff Attorney, Housing Counselor).
• Coalition of Immokalee Workers: Worker-based human rights organization for farmworkers in Florida focused on modern slavery, wage theft, and Fair Food Program advocacy. Comparable in serving farmworker populations through legal action, anti-trafficking work, and systemic advocacy campaigns.
• Migrant Justice: Vermont-based farmworker-led human rights organization advocating for migrant dairy and farmworkers through organizing, legal support, and policy campaigns. Comparable in integrated legal/advocacy/outreach model serving farmworkers, though regionally focused on Vermont rather than New York.
• Farmworker Justice: National nonprofit legal advocacy organization for farmworkers. Directly comparable in mission (wage theft, H-2A enforcement, immigration, advocacy) and operates as a 501(c)(3) with similar integrated legal/policy/outreach model, but at the federal level rather than statewide.
• Catholic Migration Services: New York-based nonprofit providing free immigration and legal services to low-income immigrants. Comparable in client base (immigrant workers), service model (free legal aid), and geographic overlap; WJCNY's Legal Director previously worked at Catholic Migration Services.
• Empire Justice Center: New York statewide legal services and advocacy nonprofit serving low-income communities on employment, immigration, and public benefits issues. Directly comparable in geography, funding model, and core client population; WJCNY's Immigration Attorney was previously at Empire Justice Center.
• Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York: Regional civil legal services provider in New York. Comparable as a free legal services nonprofit serving low-wage workers; WJCNY's Executive Director previously ran the Agricultural Worker Project at this organization.
• Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. National migrant worker rights organization focused on policy and legal advocacy for farmworkers and other low-wage workers. Directly comparable in mission and target population; WJCNY's Skadden Fellow previously served as Senior Policy Manager there.

Regional players

• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: Large nonprofit legal services organization serving low-income communities across Texas with a notable farmworker program. Comparable in legal aid mission, farmworker specialization, and integrated outreach model, but operates in a different geography (Texas) with a substantially larger scale.
• Farmworker Association of Florida: Florida-based farmworker advocacy and services organization with community organizing, legal referrals, and education programs. Comparable in serving farmworker communities through integrated advocacy and outreach, but focused on Florida rather than New York.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/workerjusticeny
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wjcny
• Facebookfacebook.com/WJCNY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wjcny
• Instagraminstagram.com/workerjusticecenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Worker Justice Center of New York