Intake and Referral

Through CDM’s extensive outreach and mobile workers’ rights workshops in migrant-sending communities in Mexico and our toll-free hotlines in the U.S. and Mexico, we have helped thousands of U.S. and Mexico-based workers access justice. After a comprehensive intake process, our multilingual legal team evaluates workers’ potential work-related claims under U.S. law, provides legal advice and connects workers with U.S. advocates at partner non-profit organizations, law firms and government enforcement agencies.   

A farmworker came to CDM looking for help after her son was born without arms or legs as a result of her repeated exposure to pesticides during the tomato harvest. Our team connected the worker with attorneys at the Florida law firm of Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen. Through the firm’s representation and CDM’s assistance, the clients secured a settlement providing for lifelong financial support and medical care.

In one emblematic workers’ compensation case, we successfully referred a former H-2B worker to attorneys in Minnesota. Due to our extensive work locating acceptable physicians in Mexico, aiding communications between the worker and his attorneys, and facilitating cross-border document exchanges, the worker secured a $20,000 settlement from his former employer’s insurer.

We also provide accessible information and advice to workers who decide to represent themselves as they navigate the U.S. legal process. For example, we helped an H-2B worker contact the U.S. Department of Labor investigators to complain about his employer’s refusal to pay his return travel costs to his home community in Mexico.  After DOL’s intervention, the employer agreed to pay the travel costs in full.