Cornell University mobile logo

LEL is a workplace law hub. We educate lawyers, legislators, employers and employees on the latest legal issues in the workplace. We inform tomorrow’s research, policy and litigation. LEL houses the Cannabis Workforce Initiative, High Road NYC, the Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, and Employee Relations and Internal Investigations programs.

Education & Training

Learn more

LEL delivers forums, conferences, specialized training modules and certificate programs for HR professionals, workplace practitioners, union leaders and representatives, policymakers, and attorneys. Our policy and equity-focused convenings bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers and students to share knowledge and shape practice. We offer legal insights and news to educate and inform, bridging research, policy, and practice to address today's workplace challenges.

Promoting Fair & Equitable Employment

Learn more

For over 20 years, LEL has worked to promote fair and equitable employment. Through our Workplace Rights Hub, we deliver resources that guide employers and employees through their rights and responsibilities, encouraging workplace practices that benefit everyone involved.  LEL's Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative (CJEI) provides research, training, and resources that assist job seekers and help employers, practitioners, and policymakers expand employment opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.

CJEI

Learn more

The mission of the Criminal Justice and Employment Initiatives (CJEI) is to unlock employment opportunities for the 2 million justice-impacted New Yorkers in our communities by working with employers, job seekers, reentry organizations, and correctional and government officials. 

In The News

Media Mentions

Cornell grant expands education for incarcerated students

Spectrum
Jodi Anderson, director of technological innovation for ILR’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, shares his perspective on Cornell’s Prison Education Program and on reducing barriers to employment for people who have been incarcerated.
Cornell grant expands education for incarcerated students

Pessimism, Cost of Living Are on the Rise, New York at Work Report Finds

Cornell Chronicle
Studying two decades of data collected through the Empire State Poll, researchers have found that the cost of living dominates respondents’ key concerns, eclipsing other priorities, such as the environment.
Pessimism, Cost of Living Are on the Rise, New York at Work Report Finds

New York employers no longer can use credit histories in most hiring decisions

WXXI
“It’s a positive thing for employees and job seekers, so that they’re not judged on their financial circumstances,” said Cecilia Oyediran, an attorney at the ILR School, about a new law in New York state that bars employers from using credit ratings to make most employment decisions.
New York employers no longer can use credit histories in most hiring decisions