COVID-19 Information & Resources for Clients

Although our physical offices are closed we remain open for business remotely.

If you need assistance from the Criminal Defense Practice or Juvenile Rights Practice continue to call our main number 212-577-3300. Indicate you need legal assistance and your call will be forwarded to an operator who will assist you.

If you need assistance from our Civil Practice call the neighborhood office in your borough:

Bronx: 718-991-4758​
Brooklyn: 718-722-3100
Manhattan: 212-426-3000
Queens: 718-286-2450
Staten Island: 347-422-5333

If you are not able to get through at first, please be patient as we work to improve our ability to assist you while working remotely.

The Access to Benefits (A2B) Helpline 888-663-6880 will be open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Interpreters are available for all languages.

A2B staff can assist NYC residents with:

• HRA public assistance
• Employment and unemployment benefits matters
• Issues related to Medicaid/health law
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Disability and other benefits and issues related to COVID-19

Limited proceedings have resumed in-person, contact your attorney for more information.

Visitors (including parties, attorneys, witnesses, spectators, law enforcement officers, prisoners, vendors, and all other non-UCS personnel) to any Court System facility house will be required to submit to temperature screening and questioning upon entry into the Courthouse and prior to magnetometer and x-ray security screening.

• If you have a pending criminal matter and you are at liberty the courts are hearing cases virtually using Microsoft Teams. ​The Court will send links via email to attorneys to share with clients to appear remotely using a smartphone or laptop. ​Please contact your attorney so you may appear or address any issues in advance. ​A few cases are being administratively adjourned. The Court is only open for family members to attend arraignments, to pay bail and a few other exceptions.
• However, a small number of cases are being called in-person. The court will notify you if you need to appear in-person. Please contact your attorney immediately if you receive notice of an in-person appearance to discuss whether your attorney may seek an accommodation on your behalf not to appear in-person due to COVID-19 related health issues.
• If you need to appear in-person before the court, you will likely have a scheduled time to appear.  The court will call the case at that scheduled time.  Scheduled appearances help reduce the number of people in the courthouse waiting for their matters to be heard by the court.  Everyone will be asked COVID-19 related health questions and your temperature will be taken using a scanning machine before anyone is allowed to enter.  Masks are also required to enter and be worn inside the courthouse at all times.  There will also be signs and markings to maintain social distancing and hand sanitizer will be available.  If a person is not permitted to enter due to the screening, the court officers will inform the judge that you did appear and were not permitted to enter.  No warrant will be issued.  For more information on the court screening process, please click here.
• All Temporary Orders of Protection are continued until the next time the case is back in Court. If you have any questions, contact your attorney.
• New Arrests and Arraignments continue to be processed by video conference since March 25. Because arraignments will be done by video, the court houses are closed to the public. If you need information about someone that has been arrested you can contact us at 212-577-3300 for information.  However, the courts have started to schedule arraignments in-person for people receiving a Desk Appearance Ticket.  If you receive a notification to appear in person, please appear at the scheduled time.
• DMV Traffic Violations Bureau — effective immediately DMV Refusal Hearings are no longer being adjourned. Hearings will resume via telephone until at least the end of the year. No in-person hearings will be held. It is important that you watch for a letter from the DMV with the hearing date and instructions on how to participate by telephone, then immediately notify your attorney. For more information click here.

• Family Court now uses a CITY-WIDE virtual court for newly filed cases that require IMMEDIATE judicial attention.
  • This can include child protective, custody, visitation, family offense, and juvenile delinquency cases.
• Already-existing cases will continue in the borough Family Courts where they started.
• In the borough Family Courts, all cases are being done virtually and all participants appear by phone or computer unless the judge has ordered a participant to appear in person at the courthouse.
• To get information about how to contact your attorney, social worker, or paralegal, to find out what is happening with your or a family member’s newly filed or ongoing case, and to learn how to get access to Family Court by phone or online, read our full Family Court FAQ.

• Because the statewide COVID-19 public health crisis continues, for now, you do not have to go to Housing Court in-person to answer court papers. For information about how to answer electronically or over the phone click here. For information about how to appear for your court date remotely, please check the notice about your court appearance or call the numbers listed here.
• If you are served with a notice or court papers, you can call 311 to access the COVID Housing Helpline and speak with a legal services provider for more information and to request legal representation.

• Courthouse updates:
  • Varick Street is open for filings and hearings.
  • 290 Broadway is open only for filings.
  • 26 Federal Plaza is open for filings and detained hearings.
• Non-detained removal defense cases are resuming on July 6, 2021.
• All New York immigration court detained cases are proceeding by video teleconference. Check the court’s web site or Twitter feed @DOJ_EOIR for updates.
• For both detained and non-detained cases, you can call the immigration court’s automated system at 800-898-7180 and enter your 9-digit alien registration number (“A number”) to find out if your case has been rescheduled.
• ICE check-ins are being done by phone for now, with in-person check-ins suspended through July 1. Check the ICE Twitter feed @ICEgov for updates. Individuals can call ICE at 212-264-4213 to see when their next check-in date will be. Also, the NYC Field Office is not accepting bond payments at this time. In the meantime, the Newark Field Office is open for bond payments.
• USCIS interviews and appointments resumed on June 15, 2020. If you have not yet received a new interview notice, call USCIS at 800-375-5283 and ask to speak with a representative to find out the date of your interview or appointment.
• USCIS has expressed its intention to be flexible with the deadlines for certain submissions. This flexibility applies to Requests for Evidence (RFE), Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14), Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID), Notices of Intent to Revoke (NOIR), Notices of Intent to Rescind and Notices of Intent to Terminate. This flexibility applies to the documents listed above if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021. USCIS will consider a response to a request or notice listed above received within 60 calendar days after the response due date set in the request or notice before taking action. Additionally, USCIS will consider a Form N-336 or Form I-290B received up to 60 calendar days from the date of the decision before it takes any action.
• For Form I-765 applications to renew employment authorization (work permits), USCIS will reuse prior biometrics, so applicants will not need to appear for fingerprinting.

• The court is open for virtual (Microsoft Teams or telephonic) appearances. If you receive a call or an email from the court, you can tell them if you want this type of appearance, or to adjourn the matter. The court will decide the next step.
• The Court is accepting new cases, either electronically or by mail.
• Litigants should review the revised pandemic Part Rules of the judge in their case. Many judges now require separate requests for oral arguments on motions, without which motions will be heard on submission.
• All Temporary Orders of Protection are continued until the next court date. If you have any questions, contact your attorney.
• Emergency applications in divorce matters, such as violations of custody/visitation orders, or support orders will be heard.
• Non-emergency applications, and requests to go before a judge can be filed, either electronically or by mail. If you cannot e-mail or mail, some courts may allow you to walk in.
• Emergency applications to stop a wage garnishment, or bank account levy will be heard.
• Foreclosure auctions and evictions following a foreclosure sale are suspended until at least June 18th, 2021.
• Emergency applications in Guardianship Matters will be heard.

• The court is open for new consumer debt case filings, and answers can be filed in-person, over the phone, or by mail. The clerk will serve the answer if you provide it over the phone to the clerk, otherwise you should serve a copy of the answer on plaintiff or plaintiff’s law firm by certified mail or certificate of mailing and hold onto mail receipt.
• Most consumer debt matters continue to remain adjourned. The court will notify you of the next court date by mail, or by email if you previously provided the court with your email address. If you receive a notice of court date in the mail, contact the court clerk for guidance on how to appear and to inform if you are unable to appear.
• Emergency applications to vacate a judgment, when required to stop a wage garnishment or bank account levy will be heard.
• All non-emergency motions papers, stipulations, affidavits of service, and some other documents may be electronically filed through the Electronic Document Delivery System (“EDDS”). Yet, litigants must still serve papers by mail.
• Some conferences are being scheduled. If you are pro se, and receive an email from the Court or the adversary in your case, you should respond, even if it is to state that you are not able to proceed.
• All Court appearances are being handled by Microsoft Teams. You should contact the court upon notice of appearance to obtain the Microsoft Teams link for the hearing, guidance on how to appear, and to inform the court if you are unable to appear for any reason.

As of June 1, 2021, funding is available for New York City households who are behind in their rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible households may have up to 12 months of their back rent paid and may be able to get three months of future rent, as well as other assistance. Learn more.

• Evictions resumed as of March 1, 2021. If you get a notice of eviction, you must immediately:
  • Complete a Hardship Declaration and send it to the marshal, to the Court, and to the landlord or the landlord’s attorney; AND
  • File an order to show cause in housing court.
• Please note if your case falls within the nuisance exception of the Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act, the Hardship Declaration will not prevent an eviction.

• The Legal Aid Society is continuing to assist homeowners facing foreclosure and related issues.
• Read our FAQ on Mortgage Relief and the Foreclosure Moratorium.
• Call our helplines: ​Bronx: 646-340-1908 Queens: 718-298-8979.

• Evictions: NYCHA has suspended resident evictions for non-payment of rent, Non-Verifiable Income (NVI), and Chronic Rent Delinquency (CRD) until further notice. NYCHA may commence a housing court proceeding against a residential occupant in cases where they allege a tenant/s poses an immediate risk to the life, health, and safety of other residents.
• NYCHA’s Office of Impartial Hearings at 803 Atlantic remains closed, and existing cases continue to be postponed. NYCHA is no longer objecting to all certifications for basis of eviction in Section 8 cases, but is conducting additional outreach to tenants facing potential nonpayment proceedings. For further Section 8 program updates from NYCHA click here.
• Loss of Income: Residents experiencing loss of income are encouraged to request a rent reduction and can self-certify income loss. Both NYCHA and Section 8 residents can do this online, through the NYCHA self-service portal, by mail or by calling the Customer Contact Center 718-707-7771. Keep a record of when the request was made.
• Management Offices: Management offices will remain open and staff can assist residents via phone, email or scheduled appointments to speak with staff from behind reception, for the safety of staff and residents.
• Repairs: Non-emergency repairs and planned outages have been temporarily suspended, including inspections and scheduled maintenance visits. Emergency repairs will continue. Call the Customer Contact Center to schedule a repair at 718-707-7771.
• Seniors: NYCHA outreach is ongoing to all senior households and households that are known to rely on life-sustaining equipment. Outreach includes calling and checking in with these households about COVID-19 concerns and assisting with connecting them to resources. NYCHA hired an outside vendor to conduct deep cleanings at senior and other developments.
• Additional information for NYCHA residents is available here.

If you have lived in your apartment for more than 30 days, then your landlord must get a court order to evict you, and such orders have currently been suspended by the State of New York. If your landlord illegally changes your locks, shuts off your utilities, or removes your belongings, click here for more information on your rights and what steps you can take if your landlord has locked you out.

The SCRIE & DRIE processing unit of the NYC Department of Finance is still operating but with less staff. There is customer service staff able to assist via 311 and through online inquiries. The walk-in-center is now closed until further notice.​ Click here for the most up to date information, including the revised processes for applications and renewals.

You do NOT have to go to a HRA Job Center in person during the COVID 19 pandemic. You can apply online, via mail, or fax. You can also apply over the phone or request an in-person visit. Learn more about your options here.

• If you have a hearing scheduled, the Social Security Administration will call you to discuss other ways to have your hearing. The call may come from a PRIVATE number and not from a U.S. Government phone. SSA employees will not threaten you or ask for any form of payment.
• SSA will send out a notice before taking any negative action on your benefits.
• Critical Services may be available, for current information click here.

• Individuals who do not have health insurance can enroll in Medicaid and other subsidized and non-subsidized insurance on the New York State of Health Marketplace by calling 855-355-5777 or visiting New York State of Health. You can always enroll in Medicaid or the Essential Plan any time of year.
• Individuals who are undocumented can enroll in Emergency Medicaid through the Marketplace. Emergency Medicaid ordinarily covers emergency conditions only but is covering all testing, evaluation, and treatment for COVID-19. Also, pregnant individuals who are undocumented are eligible for full Medicaid benefits if they meet other eligibility requirements.
• All low-income New Yorkers regardless of immigration status can access free or low-cost health care at New York City Health + Hospitals locations. Anyone who is uninsured can enroll in the Health + Hospitals Options program by calling 646-NYC-CARE.
• Our Health Law Unit has created resources with additional important information on applying for and keeping Medicaid and other insurance. There is also information about accessing healthcare services, fair hearings and overpayments.

Immigrants are eligible for many forms of health insurance, cash benefits, and food assistance. Some immigrant households may have concerns about accessing benefits because of an immigration issue called “public charge.” Please note that public charge only applies to certain immigrants and certain public benefits. Accessing COVID-19 testing and care WILL NOT count against an immigrant who is or may be subject to public charge in the future.

Read our Public Benefits Flyer for Immigrants (English / Spanish) for more information. Also see our updated FAQ on Public Charge which includes COVID-19 information, and other information and resources regarding public charge here.

Any community member or advocate with questions should call Legal Aid’s Immigration Helpline at 844-955-3424, Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Our team can then call you back to answer additional questions. Interpreters are available for all languages.

On September 5, 2021 several federal unemployment benefit programs will expire across the country, per federal law. The federal benefit programs that will expire are:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
• Extended Benefits (EB)
• $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

Unemployment Insurance benefits will continue be paid to eligible claimants. To be considered eligible for UI after September 5, 2021, a claimant must be unemployed AND be in the first 26 weeks (or 104 effective days) of benefits. Claimants can find their effective days remaining in their online Payment History. Because FPUC is ending, any weeks a claimant is eligible to receive UI benefits after September 5, 2021 will no longer include the additional $300 in FPUC.

For more information click here.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is the nearly $1.9 trillion-dollar federal bill that President Biden signed into law on March 11, 2021. It includes various provisions responding to the COVID19 pandemic, including:

• money for individuals through Recovery Rebates,
• enhanced unemployment insurance benefits, and
• changes to certain federal tax credits.

For full details and answers to frequently asked questions on the plan, click here. Multiple translations are available.

• Various federal, New York State, and New York City laws require employers to give workers leave from work to care for their own and/or a family member’s health needs, and there are some protections for a worker who needs to care for a minor child whose school or daycare is closed because of COVID-19. This leave can be paid or unpaid depending on the law and other factors.
• There are federal, New York State, and New York City laws that protect workers against discrimination in the workplace and who have been treated unfairly because of their race, color, national origin, disability, citizenship status, sex/gender, criminal record and many other protected categories. This includes the obligation of employers to provide reasonable accommodations for disability, pregnancy, religious observance, status as a victim of domestic violence, and lactation. A reasonable accommodation can include a request to telecommute or for additional leave due to health conditions that put a worker at additional risk from COVID-19. The New York City Human Rights Law is one of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the country, and in addition to the workplace, the law protects against discrimination in housing and public accommodations. To find out more about the New York City Human Rights Law, visit The New York City Commission on Human Rights.
• The pandemic has not changed your right to get paid according to the law:
  • The minimum wage in NYC is $15/hr.
  • Employers may pay tipped workers $10/hr but only if workers receive enough in tips to still earn $15/hr.
  • Workers must be paid overtime when they work more than 40 hours per week (44 hrs for live-in domestic workers).
  • Hospitality workers must also receive an extra hour of pay if they work more than 10 hrs/day. This rate also applies to some others.
  • More information is available at the Department of Labor web site.

On March 18, the Governor signed a law authorizing emergency paid sick time. For more information, please check the resources below:

• Governor’s Office Announcement
• A Better Balance: Fact Sheet

• Re-entry individuals are eligible for public benefits. For more information read our Re-Entry Benefits FAQ or call our Access to Benefits (A2B) Helpline at 888 663-6880, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• If you have medical needs or concerns the Correctional Health Services (CHS) Point of Reentry and Transition Practices or PORT can help. Call 646-614-1000 or email CHSPORTline@nychhc.org for help with prescriptions for people recently released from jail. PORTline may also be able to help with prescription refills if you haven’t been able to establish care in the community. PORTline is also available to troubleshoot problems with Medicaid coverage (e.g. suspended/in patient only status). They can also provide referrals to other social service and health care providers.
• Network Support Services provides COVID 19 discharge and resettlement services for individuals being released from State Prisons to the NYC area. Assistance includes; a smartphone with plan, backpack filled with toiletries, cash stipend, MetroCard, transport from the facility back to the community and more. For more information contact Network Support Services at 347-584-8601 or mgonzalez@networkssi.org.
• The Housing Works S.M.A.R.T. program can provide Emergency Supplies such as cell phones, Metrocards, clothing, food supplies and many other health and employment services.

• Non-court-based Probation offices are now closed to the public.  Court-based offices will only be open if the courts are open.
• All supervision will, in general, be done via telephone or electronic means; All kiosk (hand-scan) reporting is being transitioned to Web Check-in and/or telephone Everyone on probation supervision should have received a telephonic or electronic message from their probation officer.
• More Information is available at the NYC Probation Website.

The NYC Food Czar is now overseeing the distribution of meals to seniors. Call 311 to obtain free meal delivery. For additional information about the City’s food programs click here.

• DOE Free Meals are available to all New Yorkers: The NYC DOE provides three free meals daily. All three meals can be picked up at the same. For up-to-date hours or to find a pickup up location click here. No registration, ID, or documentation is required.
• P-EBT is a food benefit for households to buy food to make up for school meals students missed while they learned from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible students will receive a new round of payments starting in June/July of 2021. Read our full FAQ here.

• The U.S. Department of Education office of Federal Student Aid is actively monitoring the COVID-19 emergency. Relief flexibilities are extended at least through September 30, 2021. For more information go to the Federal Student Loan site’s section on Forbearance.
• The NYS Attorney General is accepting applications for suspension of debt collection if you were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic AND you want temporary debt relief for debts that have been referred to the Office of the Attorney General for collection. Applications can be made online here.

The Community Development Project has created Fact Sheets to help small businesses respond to issues during the COVID 19 crisis:

• Employment Issues
• Insurance Claims
• Commercial Lease Considerations
• Commercial Contracts 

Other important information to know includes:

• Businesses with fewer than 100 employees, who have seen sales decrease by 25% or more, will be eligible for NYC Small Business Continuity Fund, which will provide zero interest loans of up to $75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit.
• The Employee Retention Grant Program is available to NYC businesses with one to four employees that can demonstrate at least a 25% decrease in revenue as a result of COVID-19. Eligible businesses will receive a grant covering up to 40% of their payroll for two months. Businesses can access up to $27,000.
• Lawyers from New York firms are ready and able to answer questions from small businesses and nonprofits, and offer resources and guidance to assist with applications in connection with the Paycheck Protection Program. Learn more about the available pro bono assistance by clicking here.

You may be eligible for a credit of up to $50 per month towards broadband service and a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase an internet-accessible device (laptop, desktop, tablet, etc.) from participating providers.

The FCC announced that eligible households will be able to enroll in the program on May 12, 2021. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or online here.

More information on the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available here.

Free financial counseling by phone
Professional financial counselors from NYC Financial Empowerment Centers are available by phone to answer questions about eligibility, help you open a bank account and set up direct deposit for your payment, and check the status of a payment. Visit nyc.gov/TalkMoney to book an appointment.

Free tax preparation online
You must take action by October 15 to receive your stimulus payment this year. This may mean filing a tax return, or registering for your payment as a “non-filer” on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website if you are not required to file a tax return because your income was too low—under $12,200 (single filer) or under $24,400 (joint filers). IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparers from NYC Free Tax Prep can guide you. To use the free service, you must earn $64,000 or less (families) or $45,000 or less (single filer).  Visit nyc.gov/taxprep for information about NYC Free Tax Prep providers and how to contact them.

Notary Services Can be Handled Electronically
The Governor has authorized the notarization of signatures utilizing audio-video technology. You must be physically in New York State and present valid photo ID during the video conference. You must then send by fax or electronic means a legible copy of the signed document on the same date it was signed.  Click here for step by step guide.

Please refer to the following sites for up to date information on COVID-19 from public health officials:

• NYC COVID-19 Vaccine Information
• NYC COVID-19 Testing Information 
• NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• CDC – Novel Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions
• World Health Organization

There will be mandatory random weekly testing in all reopened school buildings as of December 7, 2020. In order for your child to return to in-person learning, you must submit the consent form for in-school COVID-19 testing by the first day your child returns to their school building. 3K, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students are excluded from random testing. Read the City’s FAQ on school testing here.

The New York Health Care Proxy Law allows you to appoint someone you trust — for example, a family member or close friend – to make health care decisions for you if you lose the ability to make decisions yourself. For more information and a form you can complete online, visit Health.NY.

DSS/HRA has issued an emergency rule that increases the burial allowance to $1,700 and increases the cap on burial costs to $3,400. It also extends the time frame for when you can apply to 120 days from the date of death. Applications received on or after March 12 will be considered for the increase, regardless of immigration status. For more information click here​.

The information on this page has been prepared by The Legal Aid Society for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. You should not act upon any information without retaining professional legal counsel.