Sec. 422. Grants for civil legal needs related to employment discrimination
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/bill/116/s/1082/is/section-422A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary is authorized to provide financial assistance to eligible entities to enable those eligible entities to provide for the civil legal needs of covered clients that are related to employment discrimination, and to provide for those clients such other services as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this subtitle, including any of the following activities: Providing covered clients advice, legal services, or representation. Assisting covered clients in utilizing the Commission employment discrimination complaint process.
Assisting covered clients in utilizing a private employment complaint process. Conducting outreach activities to publicize the services offered under this section. An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall provide services to a covered client without regard to the citizenship status or authorization to work of the covered client. In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
Such application shall include— a description of the services that the eligible entity proposes to provide, implement, improve, or expand; a description of the covered clients the eligible entity intends to serve; evidence of the eligible entity’s capacity to provide services to covered clients with legal issues related to employment discrimination, such as the eligible entity’s record of success representing eligible clients in employment-related legal matters, or the eligible entity’s prior experience serving clients who cannot afford legal counsel; an explanation of how the services the eligible entity intends to provide will assist covered clients in addressing legal issues related to employment discrimination; and any other information that the Secretary may require.
The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Legal Services Corporation, award and oversee grants under this section pursuant to such procedures and criteria as the Secretary may require. Such procedures and criteria shall include consideration of— whether the eligible entity has demonstrated an understanding of the legal needs of covered clients; the eligible entity’s capacity to provide services to covered clients with legal issues related to employment discrimination, which may be demonstrated through evidence described in subsection (b)(3); the eligible entity’s knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local employment laws; the eligible entity’s capacity and ability to access other resources; the eligible entity’s ability to ensure continuity of service to covered clients with pending legal issues; and other factors that the Secretary determines are relevant.
To the extent practicable, in awarding grants under this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Legal Services Corporation, shall ensure that grants are made so as to provide the most economical and effective delivery of legal assistance to covered clients in both urban and rural areas, with consideration of the geographic distribution of persons in poverty. A grant under this section shall be for a term of not less than 1 year and not more than 5 years. The Secretary may renew a grant awarded under this section for a period of not more than 2 additional years if the eligible entity demonstrates that the eligible entity is effectively using funds and that the renewal of funds will allow the eligible entity to scale up the provision of services, replicate the program, or provide continuity of service to covered clients.
Two years after the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of the grant program under this section, including— a description of the services provided using grant assistance under this section, including a detailed description of the types of legal issues addressed by eligible entities and the number of covered clients served; and an assessment of the number of individuals facing one or more legal issues related to employment discrimination who cannot afford adequate legal counsel, and the largest areas of unmet need.