How the Puerto Rican Birth Certificate Law Affects DSS Administered Programs
August 19, 2010
Over a quarter million of New York State’s residents are feeling the impact of a change in the law enacted by the Puerto Rican legislature. Law 191 of 2009 invalidates all Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010. Read More

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Nassau County Department of Social Services Challenging Delays in Processing Benefits Applications
May 14, 2010
On March 24, 2010, a class action lawsuit was filed against the Nassau County Department of Social Services to challenge widespread delays in processing applications for Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Public Assistance. Read More

Is A Child Conceived After Parent's Death Entitled to Benefits?
May 14, 2010
An appeal pending at the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit raises the thorny issue of whether a child who was conceived by in vitro fertilization and born more than two years after her father’s death from leukemia is entitled to Social Security benefits on his account. Read More

Court Holds that Doe v. Doar Class Members Entitled to Offset of Debt Owed the Agency
January 16, 2010
The case of Doe v, Doar, 26 AD2d 787 (2006), app dismissed 6 NY 3d 89, successfully challenged the illegal reduction of public assistance grants to individuals living in households with children where a family member was in receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The final judgment resulted in the restoration of tens of thousands illegally reduced public assistance grants, but the terms of the order limited the restoration of Doe underpayments to class members who were recipients of public assistance. Read More

How a (Survey) Monkey is Helping Revitalize the Public Benefits Task Force
November 2, 2009
In the past the Welfare Task Force, coordinated and led by Empire Justice staff, was a major force in developing advocacy approaches, providing training, support and networking opportunities for welfare advocates located throughout New York. Read More

Alleged Probation Violations Lead to Automatic Termination of Benefits
November 2, 2009
In 1996, Congress added a provision in its sweeping welfare reform legislation to prevent fleeing felons and parole violators from accessing most federally funded assistance programs. Read More

Ensuring Access to Public Benefits: Litigation Updates
November 2, 2009
Medicaid, Family Assistance, Safety Net Assistance, Home Energy Assistance, Food Stamps: the array of public benefit programs in New York are offered with the dual goals of meeting the critical, basic needs of low and moderate income households and acting in accordance with our state Constitutional mandate to provide care for the needy. Read More