Better ways of working in your workplace rights

Some victims are born into slavery, which still exists in some parts of the world. Some are trafficked. Some get trapped in endless debt through fraudulent job recruitment schemes or unreasonable pay deductions. Some are confined to workplaces through various forms of physical and psychological coercion.

These include: Research: We produce and fund research reports that analyze and discuss forced labor around the world. These reports aim to raise awareness of forced labor among foreign governments, industry groups, and civil society organizations, and to spur action to combat forced labor.

Projects: We fund projects in foreign countries to address forced labor. These projects tackle forced labor in a variety of ways, including supporting local mechanisms to detect and rescue victims, building organizations' capacity to provide protection services to victims, and building government agencies' capacity to prevent forced labor and prosecute perpetrators.

Policy: We develop U. Government policy positions on forced labor issues and advocate for these positions in international fora, including the International Labor Organization ILO. Additionally, we regularly report on the extent to which our government gives effect to the principle of the elimination of all forms of forced labor, pursuant to the ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Objectives ILO conventions call on governments to eradicate all forms of forced labor. By funding research and projects and through its policy work, ILAB plays a part in global efforts to ensure that people do not fall prey to forced labor exploitation. It is a fundamental right that underpins democratic representation and governance.

Collective bargaining is an essential element of freedom of association. It helps to ensure that workers and employers have an equal voice in negotiations and provides workers the opportunity to seek to improve their living and working conditions. Effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining can contribute to economic development and growth by increasing certainty and stability in the workplace and improving labor-management relations.

The ILO's recommendations and conventions help define these rights and provide guidance on how they can be most effectively protected. The ILO's fundamental convention on freedom of association No. The ILO's fundamental convention on the right to organize and collective bargaining No.

Our Strategy We promote freedom of association and collective bargaining through: participation in international organizations like the ILO; enforcement of labor rights provisions in U. Additionally, ILAB is responsible for regularly reporting on the progress of the United States government in respecting and promoting freedom of association and collective bargaining domestically.

Objectives Through our work, we hope to improve government enforcement of laws and policies that protect freedom of association and collective bargaining, and expand worker influence on government, employers, and society to protect worker rights. Non-Discrimination Discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, political opinion, national or social origin, and other grounds can create significant obstacles to actively participating in the labor force and obtaining decent work opportunities.

Breaking down these barriers begins with the adoption and implementation of strong anti-discrimination labor laws, coupled with awareness-raising and equal access to education and training. Our Strategy We advocate for non-discrimination, promote effective policy and program approaches in international fora, and report regularly on the U. By promoting effective methods and sharing best practices in international dialogues on eliminating workplace discrimination, we strive to increase the labor force participation and improve the work environment of groups vulnerable to discrimination.

Additionally, we regularly report on the progress of the U. We compile this information for the government's regular reporting, pursuant to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, on the extent to which our government gives effect to the principles of non-discrimination reflected in ILO Conventions Equal Remuneration and Discrimination in Employment and Occupation.

Working Conditions Every worker should enjoy decent and safe working conditions. This requires, at a minimum, the regulation of working time, the appropriate payment of wages, and effective oversight of occupational safety and health OSH.

In order to qualify for certain trade benefits through the U. Generalized System of Preferences program, countries must be taking steps to afford acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and OSH. Unsafe Workplace Complaints and Conditions The type of workplace issue determines which government agency can help you.

Interstate Trucking: If you have a problem, such as being forced to drive in unsafe conditions, fill out the online complaint form. Please note: OSHA may refer you to a state agency. These include the right to: Be trained in a language that you understand Be provided with the necessary safety equipment Report injury or illness Voice your concern over unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation Workers' Compensation for Illness or Injury on the Job Workers' compensation laws protect employees who get hurt on the job or sick from it.

These laws vary from state to state and for federal employees. Your state workers' compensation program can help you file a claim. If your claim is denied, you can appeal. Contact the workers' compensation program that applies to you for help filing a claim.

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Our workplaces should be safe and free of health hazards, discrimination and retaliation. We all deserve equal opportunity and equal pay for the same work, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigrant status, gender expression or a disability.

Together, we can build a strong voice about the conditions under which we work. In the past year, we helped win stronger rules on overtime pay and deliver paid family leave and sick leave in a large number of cities and states. With Working America in the lead, city workers in Greensboro, North Carolina, just won up to six weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

Next year, we will undertake a campaign for paid sick days. But the laws in many states make it hard for working people to join together, form unions or maintain union representation. It looks at a few scenarios where knowledge of your human rights might help to you better your situation at work, and explains which human rights laws could help to protect you.

This means that — for example — if you are a homosexual or your employer believes you to be a homosexual, your employer is not allowed to treat you less favourably than your heterosexual colleague, on the grounds of your sexuality. Discrimination against those with disabilities is also forbidden. Say you are hearing impaired. Your employer is obliged to make reasonable adaptations to your work environment, to reduce the disadvantage that you experience because of your hearing impairment.

This might include using technologies such as Bluetooth to connect to hearing aids, or ensuring that you have access to video calling to facilitate signing or lip reading. European law also protects against age discrimination. However there are some exceptions.

Age discrimination can be allowed where it is justified by a legitimate aim. For example, it is permissible for companies to set a compulsory age for retirement. This can be justified by, for example, the need to conserve the labour market. Right to Equality in the Recruitment Process Companies and other hiring organisations are not allowed to unfairly discriminate against potential employees on the basis of a protected characteristic except in some circumstances, age.

However, where discrimination occurs in early stages of the recruitment process, it can be hard to catch employers in the act of discrimination! Many black and ethnic minority BAME candidates experience hidden discrimination when applying for jobs. Perhaps you are a suitably qualified candidate, you submit many job applications, yet do not get called for an interview. Recruiters for certain types of jobs also exhibit gender bias. Studies suggest that this helps BAME candidates increase numbers of job offers.

However, they warn that anonymous applications may simply delay discrimination to subsequent stages of the application process. Another disadvantage of anonymous applications is that it makes it more difficult to measure how many BAME candidates apply for, versus being awarded, a particular position. Equal Pay for Equal Work The right to equality means that two people who are performing the same, or equivalent job function should be paid the same amount. In practice, this does not always take place.

Historically, women have been paid less than men for fulfilling the same, or parallel roles. The women mostly worked in roles such as cooks, cleaners and care staff and had been denied bonuses which were given to their male counterparts who worked in roles such as refuse collectors and street cleaners. The gender pay gap issue came into the spotlight regarding remuneration given to actors and actresses in starring Hollywood roles. The disparity in the pay awarded to male and female actors, led Benedict Cumberbatch to pledge that he would only take on roles where the female lead was paid the same as him , and to urge other actors to take a similar stand.

Maternity Rights Maternity leave, and the subsequent return to work are key times when women experience sex discrimination in the work place. European laws stipulate that female employees have the right to return to the same position after their period of maternity leave. Employers are not allowed to treat you unfavourably because of your period of maternity leave — for example, it is unlawful discrimination if they do not offer you training opportunities, or fail to give you an equal chance to gain a promotion, because you took maternity leave.

In order to benefit from this protection, you must be considered an employee, not a worker or a job applicant. This means that women in less secure working arrangements are more likely to suffer interference with their maternity rights, because they have less legal protection. It is known to be prevalent in many different types of industry.