As of March 2, 2015, companies that contract with the U.S. federal government must comply with laws aimed at curbing labor trafficking.
According to JDSupra, these laws impact contractors and sub-contractors, a group that includes over 300,000 businesses and organizations. Such organizations will now be required to
- Prevent severe forms of trafficking and forced labor by taking concrete, preventive steps to ensure employees do not engage in trafficking-related activities.
- Cooperate with, and provide access to, enforcement agencies investigating compliance with anti-trafficking and forced labor laws.
- Mandatorily Disclose (or self-report) if it receives any credible information from any source that alleges a contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee has engaged in conduct that violates the new FAR provisions.
- Develop and maintain a detailed compliance plan for contracts for supplies.
- Annually certify that, when applicable, it has implemented a compliance plan, and that neither it nor its employees engaged in any trafficking-related activities, or, if violations were identified, it has taken appropriate remedial and referral action.
Penalties include termination of contracts, class action suits, and imprisonment for those responsible within these business and organizations for over-site of these requirements.
