The Agricultural Worker Project (AWP) of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc.
(SMRLS) is expanding! A full-time bilingual (English/Spanish) AWP outreach worker/intake
interviewer is sought for the unit. The position will be primarily located in SMRLS’ central office
in Saint Paul, Minnesota but involves extensive travel throughout Minnesota during parts of the
year.

SMRLS is a non-profit law firm which receives federal, state, local public, and private funding to
provide free legal help to low-income and elderly people who reside in 33 counties of southern
Minnesota. As Minnesota’s oldest legal aid program (founded in 1909), SMRLS has established a
tradition of partnership with the private bar, a bi-partisan Legislature, the Minnesota Supreme
Court and other Minnesota Legal Services Coalition Programs in providing access to justice.
SMRLS has an experienced, dynamic staff of more than 50 attorneys, 39 additional staff and 800
volunteer attorneys to provide legal assistance to over 200,000 eligible persons.

SMRLS, through its Agricultural Worker Project, provides free and confidential civil legal aid to
eligible agricultural workers in all counties of Minnesota and North Dakota. The AWP team
focuses on improving clients’ working and living conditions through legal representation,
outreach, and education. The AWP advises and represents clients with cases involving wage theft,
workplace health and safety violations, inadequate employer-provided housing, labor trafficking,
employment discrimination or retaliation, H-2A contract violations, and other legal matters that
specifically impact agricultural workers. The AWP provides legal rights education to agricultural
workers in Minnesota and North Dakota through extensive outreach and presentations to
agricultural worker communities.

Responsibilities:

1. Outreach
   • Perform extensive outreach to agricultural workers throughout Minnesota in late
   spring, the summer, and early fall, including nights and some weekends.
   • Create and update legal rights materials.
   • Present to agricultural worker groups and community partners, occasionally during
   nights and weekends.
   • Partner with the outreach team to create outreach maps and presentations and track
   and maintain related data.
   • Assist in establishing and maintaining partnerships with non-profit organizations,
   government agencies and other external stakeholders to advance farmworker
   advocacy efforts.
   • Participate in outreach team meetings.
   • Other outreach duties as assigned
2. Screening Potential Clients for Legal Services:
   • Screen callers for financial eligibility, case priorities, conflicts and detailed case
   information for the AWP unit. The screening will be primarily by phone but
   periodically includes in-person interviews.
   • Accurately record and update caller information in case management database.
   • Answer/return phone calls and messages (via WhatsApp, Facebook, and text
   messages) and provide referrals as necessary.
   • Securely disseminate, collect, and store case-related documents to clients.
   • Other intake duties as assigned
3. Bilingual (English/Spanish) Speaking Interpreter:
   • Serve as an interpreter for both spoken and written communication between
   clients and AWP attorneys or paralegals.
   • Provide written translation of outreach materials from English to Spanish.
4. Other Miscellaneous Duties:
   • Participate in weekly AWP Case Review meetings.
   • Perform miscellaneous duties at the request of the AWP’s attorneys and project
   manager, including record copying and other tasks as assigned.
   • Use Language Line when appropriate to interview non-English-speaking/nonSpanish-speaking people seeking services.
   • Perform general office and receptionist duties for the AWP, including mail
   processing.
   • Other office duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) ability, written and oral, required
• An Associate degree is preferred, but not necessary, or office and/or outreach
experience
• Ability to conduct fact-intensive screening interviews in an accurate manner
• Ability to remain calm and act professionally under pressure
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Ability to say “no” to ineligible callers in a professional manner
• Ability to relate to culturally diverse and low-income people, and with people
who suffer from physical or emotional problems, preferably agricultural workers
• Ability to learn and use computer database program
• Outstanding listening and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Exhibits initiative and the ability to work on a team and independently
• Willing and able to travel throughout Minnesota and periodically in North Dakota
• Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license
Position Open: Immediately

Compensation: Starting salary of $33,878, or DOE, pursuant to salary scale plus good benefits.
$3,000 language bonus available.
To apply, please visit www.smrls.org or submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional
references to:
John Joachim
Director of Human Resources
Southern MN Regional Legal Services
55 East Fifth Street, Suite 800
Saint Paul, MN 55101-1473
john.joachim@smrls.org
SMRLS IS COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY IN THE WORK PLACE. WOMEN, MINORITIES, AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.