Is that labor trafficking?

See the transcript.

It can be hard to know. Labor traffickers often take advantage of workers:

• At work and,
• In homes.

You could be seeing labor trafficking if a worker:

• Feels their employer is forcing them to stay in a job they want to leave.
• Owes money to their employer or recruiter.
• Does not have control of their passport or other identity documents.
• Lives and works alone or with only a small group of people and they are not allowed to go places alone or not allowed to talk to people outside of their group.
• Works in dangerous conditions without proper safety gear, training, or breaks.

Or if a worker’s employer:

• Watches them when the worker talks to other people.
• Threatens them with deportation or other harm.
• Gives them housing but it is dangerous, overcrowded, or has inhumane conditions.
• Does not pay them the wages they earned.

See Recognize the signs of labor trafficking from the National Human Trafficking Hotline and use the Massachusetts Online Labor Trafficking Identification Tool.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Report suspected labor trafficking to:

Massachusetts Attorney General's Fair Labor Division.

(617) 727 3465

[email protected]

National Human Trafficking Hotline

(888) 373 7888,      

text: 233733

[email protected]