Free Legal Hotline For Women’s Rights

The Equal Rights Advocates’ Advice and Counseling Hotline is here to help you understand your legal rights. Free, discreet, individualized advice is available on issues like Family and Medical Leave Laws, Equal Pay, Sexual Harassment and other work place issues buy contacting. The hotline is available on limited hours. Contact: Equal Rights Advocates, 1663 Mission Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94103; www.equalrights.org (check website for hotline hours before you call 1-800-839-4ERA)

Free Legal Help for People with Disabilities

The disability laws not only covers people with disabilities that everyone can see. It's also for children who aren't getting the education they need from the local school, or for the cancer patient who feels discriminated against at work. A free hotline will help you learn about your rights, help you enforce them, and will even handle some high impact legal cases. Contact Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc., 2212 Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710; 510-644-2555 V/TTY; Fax: 510-841-8645; edf@dredf.org; www.dredf.org.

Where To Go When Your Banker Gives You The Run-Around

If you are unhappy with what you see on your monthly credit card bill, or your bank won't give you a car loan because you are divorced even though you have a good credit and a good job. Or the annual percentage rate on your mortgage unexpectedly rises though your mortgage contract says that it should remain the same. Then you have a legitimate complaint and can contact one of the following to get satisfaction. Each of the organizations below regulate a separate institutions. If you contact the wrong office any of them can direct you to where you need to be.

For National Banks Contact: Comptroller of the Currency, Compliance Management, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 250 W St., SE, Washington, DC 20219; 202-874-5000; www.occ.treas.gov

For Savings & Loans contact: Office of Thrift Supervision, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 1700 G St., NW, Washington, DC 20552; 202-906-6000; www.ots.treas.gov

For State Regulated Banks contact: Contact your state capitol operator in your state by calling 1-800-555-1212 and ask for your state’s Banking Authority or go to www.govengine.com and search for Banking Authority under your state.

For FDIC-Insured Institutions contact:: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Consumer Affairs, 550 17th St., NW, Room F-130, Washington, DC 20429; 800-759-6596; 877-275-3342; www.fdic.gov