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Non-profit

Employee Rights Advocacy Institute

Website:

employeerightsadvocacy.org/
Location:

CONCORD, CA
Tax ID:

26-2270705
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2017):

Revenue: $398,746
Expenses: $163,629
Assets: $571,545
Executive Director:

Terry O’Neill
Type:

501c3 affiliated with National Employment Lawyers Association

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The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law and Policy (also known as the NELA Institute) is a pro-labor union advocacy organization that is the charitable arm of the National Employment Lawyers Association, a membership organization for labor union-side labor lawyers. 1 The organization acts as a think tank for labor policy, conducts research, and develops resources for use by employees and labor unions. 2

Background

The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law and Policy was founded in 2008 as the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of the National Employment Lawyers Association, a membership organization for labor union-side labor lawyers. 3

The organization advocates government action to end what it calls “forced arbitration,” the practice of agreements between employers and employees to settle disputes outside of court. The organization also pursues anti-discrimination workplace policies, and supports and opposes nominees for federal judgeships. Among several programs directed by the organization are a two-year legal fellowship named after NELA founder Paul H. Tobias, and a scholarship fund for employment lawyers that gives $10,000 annually for lawyers to complete continuing legal education (CLE) credits. The president of the institute is Rebecca L. Salawdeh and the executive director is Terry O’Neill. 4

Terry O’Neill is also the executive director of the institute’s sister organization, the National Employment Lawyers Association, where he earns an annual salary of just over $160,000. 5

Activity

The organization actively partners with labor unions and pro-labor union groups, including the AFL-CIO, the Center for American Progress, and the National Employment Law Center. During the 116th congress, the organization and dozens of other pro-labor groups supported HR 2148, the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace (BE HEARD) Act, a bill sponsored by several far-left members of congress including Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). 6 The group is also part of a large coalition of labor unions and other left leaning advocacy organizations that has pressured corporations to stop enforcing and enacting forced arbitration agreements; a 2018 letter urging Google CEO Larry Page to stop the company use of arbitration was co-signed by the Institute along with several unions and left-leaning groups that included the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Economic Policy Institute, the NAACP, and the Impact Fund.

The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law and Policy is most active on issues opposing forced arbitration. Pro-labor union publication Mother Jones praised the work of the organization to end the practice of allowing employees to agree to avoid courts by agreeing to settle out of court with private arbitration. It has targeted Hooters, Applebee’s, KFC, Neiman Marcus,  Nordstrom, Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Discover, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, AT&T, Ford, Toyota, General Electric, and Halliburton over mandatory arbitration policies. 7

References

  1. National Employment Lawyers Association. “About NELA.” NELA.org. Accessed July 6, 2020. https://www.nela.org/index.cfm?pg=about.
  2. “About”. The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law and Policy. Accessed May 30, 2020. http://employeerightsadvocacy.org/about/
  3. “About”. The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law and Policy. Accessed May 30, 2020. http://employeerightsadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2018-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf
  4. “About”. The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law and Policy. Accessed May 30, 2020. http://employeerightsadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2018-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf
  5. “NELA Form 990”. 2018. Accessed May 30, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/311175826/01_2020_prefixes_31-32%2F311175826_201812_990O_2020012317058860
  6. “Dear Colleague Letter: HR 2148, the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace (BE HEARD) Act”. DearColleague.us. Accessed May 30, 2020.  http://dearcolleague.us/2019/04/cosponsor-the-be-heard-act-to-stop-discrimination-and-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace-2/
  7. Mencimer, Stephanie. “Have You Signed Away Your Right to Sue?”. Mother Jones. April 2008. Accessed May 30, 2020.  https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2008/03/have-you-signed-away-your-right-sue/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: September 1, 2008

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2017 Dec Form 990 $398,746 $163,629 $571,545 $3,576 N $397,033 $0 $1,713 $0 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $151,536 $168,395 $334,963 $2,111 N $149,962 $0 $1,574 $0
    2015 Dec Form 990 $193,946 $164,096 $353,801 $4,090 N $192,454 $0 $1,367 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $208,799 $149,435 $322,181 $2,320 N $204,204 $3,757 $838 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $143,585 $186,750 $263,711 $3,214 N $134,494 $7,295 $1,796 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $156,899 $196,343 $306,056 $2,394 N $154,572 $0 $2,327 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $375,508 $166,006 $345,492 $2,386 N $374,053 $0 $1,455 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Employee Rights Advocacy Institute

    1800 SUTTER ST STE 210
    CONCORD, CA 94520-2500