Question

4. Compulsory labor refers to situations in which persons are coerced to work through the use of violence or intimidation, or by more subtle means such as manipulation debt. How can businesses eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labor?

Answer 1

Here are some actions that companies can take:----------------------

1. Have a clear policy not to use, be complicit in, or benefit from forced labour;

2.Where adherence to forced labor provisions of national laws and regulations is insufficient, take account of international standards;

3. Ensure that all company officials have a full understanding of what forced labour is;

4.Make available employment contracts to all employees stating the terms and conditions of service, the voluntary nature of employment, the freedom to leave (including the appropriate procedures) and any penalties that may be associated with a departure or cessation of work;

5. Do not confiscate workers’ identity documents;

6. Prohibit business partners from charging recruitment fees to workers;

7. Write employment contracts in languages easily understood by workers, indicating the scope of and procedures for leaving the job;

8. Be aware of countries, regions, industries, sectors, or economic activities where forced labor is more likely to be a practice;

9. In planning and conducting business operations, ensure that workers in debt bondage or in other forms of forced labour are not engaged and, where found, provide for the removal of such workers from the workplace with adequate services and provision of viable alternatives;

10. Institute policies and procedures to prohibit the requirement that workers lodge financial deposits with the company;

11.If hiring prisoners for work in or outside prisons, ensure that their terms and conditions of work are similar to those of a free employment relationship in the sector involved, and that they have given their consent to work for a private employer;·

12.Ensure that large-scale development operations do not rely on forced labor in any phase; and

13. Carefully monitor supply chains and subcontracting arrangements.

14 Establish or participate in a task force or committee on forced labor in your representative employers’ organization at the local, state or national level; Work in partnership with other companies, sectoral associations and employers’ organizations to develop an industry-wide approach to address the issue, and build bridges with trade unions, law enforcement authorities, labor inspectorates and others;

15. Support and help design education, vocational training, and counseling programmes for children removed from situations of forced labour;

16. Help develop skills training and income-generating alternatives, including micro-credit financing programmes, for adults removed from situations of forced labor;

17. Encourage supplementary health and nutrition programmes for workers removed from dangerous forced labour, and provide medical care to assist those affected by occupational diseases and malnutrition as a result of their involuntary work; and

18. Where use is made of prison labor, ensure that the terms and conditions of work are beneficial to the prisoners (particularly with regard to occupational health and safety), and that they have given consent to work for a private employer.