EMPLOYMENT LAW: EEOC Tackles National Origin Discrimination and Human Labor Trafficking

January 20, 2011

WASHINGTON – The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has discussed with labor experts Wednesday on how to support the national fight against human labor trafficking and national origin discrimination.

The meeting was held in conjunction with President Obama’s designation of January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the Department of State, said labor experts recognize EEOC’s crucial role in abolishing human labor traffickers who bring people from abroad, or from within the United States with false promises of high wages and decent jobs.

A human labor trafficking victim, whose case was handled by EEOC, testified how he was promised to be given a welding job when he left Thailand and traveled to the US. Instead, he was held in an apartment and forced to work on a Thai restaurant without pay. Fortunately, he escaped and was able to file a complaint with the EEOC.

The EEOC is expected to work together with other federal agencies to fight human labor trafficking as well as national origin discrimination in the workplace.