The U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and State (DOS) joined with the U.S. Agency for International Development to issue guidelines on protecting the rights and preventing abuse of migrant workers in the U.S.
The “Guidance on Fair Recruitment Practices for Temporary Migrant Workers” was released June 10, the DOL announced at the time. The multi-agency undertaking provides guidance to countries, recruiters and employers participating in the H2-A and H2-B temporary and seasonal workers.
“The guidance announced today is intended to increase transparency and regulation of H-2A and H-2B worker recruitment programs," DOL Sec. Marty Walsh said in the announcement, "and safeguard workers’ fundamental rights.”
The program is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Collaborative Migration Management Strategy, the DOL states, which is "focused on strengthening cooperative efforts to manage safe, orderly and humane migration in North and Central America," the report states.
“Taking meaningful steps to protect workers throughout the recruitment and employment process is crucial as the U.S. expands legal pathways for migration in line with our Collaborative Migration Management Strategy, DOS Sec. Antony Blinken said in the statement. "The State Department supports this comprehensive effort to facilitate equitable access to temporary work opportunities and prioritize the protection of workers’ rights."
Samantha Power, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said the group has worked with the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to safely, ethically and transparently recruit temporary workers, the DOL reports. She called the guidelines "an important step" in protecting workers.
“Providing legal pathways for temporary work is a powerful way to address critical labor needs here in the United States," Power said in the report, "while giving seasonal workers a chance to earn money they can use to return to and rebuild their own communities."
