FRA: Six steps to better protect migrants from labour exploitation

Migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to labour exploitation and violations of European Union (EU) labour law. Under EU law, non-EU workers must be treated the same as workers from the Member State where they are employed. Equal treatment includes working conditions, pay, working time, and health and safety at work. Workplace inspectors play an important role in upholding workers’ rights.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) issued a report that presents six points to help labour inspectors apply EU law safeguards in practice:

• providing information; non-EU workers often do not know their rights. Inspectors can provide migrants with information on their rights and obligations during site visits or through targeted campaigns.
• supporting access to justice and facilitating complaints; most non-EU workers do not report exploitation out of fear of losing their job and their residence permit. Inspectors can help migrants report exploitation, file complaints and seek justice.
• identifying labour exploitation; inspectors can detect violations of labour law and labour exploitation, and refer victims to support organisations.
• right to back pay and compensation; labour inspectors can inform migrants about their rights and support them in getting the wages owed to them.
• right to adequate housing; inspectors should recognise inadequate housing and monitor employers’ compliance with standards, in cooperation with relevant authorities.
• right to change employer; labour inspectors should proactively inform migrant workers about this right.
   

In autumn 2024, FRA will publish a manual with extensive resources to support workplace inspectors.

To read the full guide, click here