Legal Defense Fund
Legal Defense Fund Summary and FAQs
The contract between Harvard University and the Harvard Graduate Students Union (HGSU-UAW) Local 5118 maintains a “Legal Expense Fund,” which reimburses legal expenses where counsel is retained for advising the SW on matters relating to their working conditions at the University. As per Article 24, HGSU is allocated $100,000 each fiscal year to the Legal Expense Fund (“Fund”). The Fund expires on June 30 of each year; any unexpended funds will not roll over to any subsequent fiscal year. While the Fund is limited in size, if the Fund is exhausted in a given year, the Committee may vote to pull allocated funds from the following year’s pool to cover expenses. No more than $200,000 may be used in a single year, and no more than $400,000 may be utilized for the duration of the contract. The Fund’s applications and disbursements are administered confidentially by the HGSU Contract Education and Enforcement Committee (“Committee”).
Eligibility and Coverage
To be eligible to receive funds from the Legal Defense Fund outlined in Article 24, a person must, at the time expenses are incurred:
- be a student enrolled in Harvard University degree program; and
- be actively employed as a Research Assistant (but not an undergraduate Research Assistant), Teaching Fellow, Instructional Fellow, Pedagogical Fellow, or Course Assistant in at least 1 academic term in the contract year.
Student workers who are employed but on a leave of absence as defined by Article 26 of the contract are eligible. For expenses incurred during the summer, applicants are eligible if they were employed as described above during the preceding spring semester or the following fall semester. Determination of eligibility for expenses incurred during the summer is subject to the discretion of the HGSU Contract Education and Enforcement Committee (“Committee”).
Approved applications shall receive an initial minimum disbursement reimbursing the applicant for qualifying legal expenses up to $5,000. The Committee may, at its discretion, vote to approve additional disbursements for approved applicants with qualifying legal expenses greater than $5,000. In determining such additional disbursements, the Committee may consider the Fund’s remaining balance, the number of applicants needing additional disbursements, and the projected Fund usage for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Funds will be disbursed on a rolling basis as applications are received. It is the intention of the Committee that, if practicable, applications will be processed within three days and funds will be disbursed within 30 days of submission.
Application Questions
No. For simplicity of administration, household income is self-reported.
Include any income earned by yourself as well as a spouse or committed partner. You do not need to report financial information of extended family members or roommates.
Please attach all documentation of fees to the application. Documentation may take the form of: retainers, invoices, receipts, lawyer bills, or other proof of payment. If using retainers or invoices (for fees not yet incurred), receipts must later be submitted to demonstrate proof of payment. All documentation must include the date, type, and amount of expense.
Fund Rules
The rules for the Legal Defense Fund are currently under negotiation. If you would like to use the fund, please email general@hgsu.org, and a union representative will be in touch to help.
