A client who is an HIV-positive single mother of four was fired from her job at a snack-food manufacturer after her supervisors found out her status. After a 4-year-long legal struggle, the company and the national staffing agency that placed her in the job agreed to settle discrimination claims out of court. Just as importantly, the staffing agency also agreed to distribute posters to all the food-service businesses it places workers at, reminding them that federal and state law prohibits discrimination against workers with HIV, and that HIV/AIDS is not on the list of diseases that can be transmitted through food handling. Read the whole story here on page 4 of Good Counsel, Fall 2011. 
A client called us seeking permanency-planning help for her two boys, aged 8 and 10. Pennsylvania’s Standby Guardianship law, which the AIDS Law Project authored, assists terminally ill parents make arrangements for the future care of their children. We made an emergency visit to the hospital and later went to court, ensuring that the boys were placed with their great-uncle after her death, in accordance with the client’s wishes. Read the whole story here on page 3 of Good Counsel, Fall 2011.
A client who was fighting cancer came to us after getting a foreclosure notice on the Philadelphia home he lives in with his partner, one he grew up in and inherited from his mother. We negotiated with the mortgage company, which agreed on terms the client was able to meet. With the stress of losing his home off his mind, he focused on his health – and is now cancer-free. Read whole story here on page 3 of Good Counsel, Fall 2011.
A client who is a low-wage worker and speaks little English learned he was entitled to a significant tax refund. Then he received word that there was a problem with his return. At one point, the IRS was even claiming he owed money. We were able to show that the client was entitled to the tax deductions he claimed and to the refund. Read the whole story here on page 3 of Good Counsel, Spring 2011.
A client was in danger of being thrown out of his apartment because he had three “rescue” cats and his building had a one-pet policy. We learned the client suffers from HIV-related depression. We showed that the cats were actually therapeutic, making their presence a “reasonable accommodation” under disability laws. Read the whole story here on page 4 of Good Counsel, Spring 2011.
A client’s food stamp benefits were cut nearly in half without clear explanation. She visited her local welfare office, which offered little help. We reviewed the case, finding that state welfare officials had failed to consider the client’s housing subsidy, which made it seem she had more money than she really did. Because of our work, her benefits were restored. Read the whole story here on page 3 of Good Counsel, Spring 2011. 
