Labor Trafficking Summit - March 2017

Labor Trafficking in the U.S.: The Intersection of Vulnerable Workers & Employment Discrimination Vulnerable workers, from immigrants to the intellectually disabled, often toil in the U.S. as agricultural, domestic and factory workers, enduring isolation, threats, little to no pay, substandard living conditions, and even sexual harassment including rape. Maria Flores, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), gave a voice to these hidden victims of labor trafficking by highlighting select employment discrimination cases investigated and/or litigated by the EEOC. Attendees were able to gain a better understanding as to what makes these workers particularly vulnerable, the barriers they face in voicing complaints, recourse under civil rights laws, agency resources, and special initiatives to combat this national problem.