Trafficking and Forced Labor

Our team of compassionate and skilled attorneys is committed to fiercely advocating for trafficking victims and those who have experienced all types of forced labor.

It is illegal to obtain labor from someone through threats of serious harm. Human trafficking occurs when a person or group is forced into servitude through physical and psychological coercion.

Forced labor traffickers may coerce someone to continue to work for them by using tactics like:

• Imposing financial penalties for quitting a job, including liquidated damages, repayment of purported training costs, and breach fees
• Abuse of legal action against those who leave or attempt to leave, including threatening lawsuits, debt collection, and immigration consequences
• Physical restraints or threats of physical force
• Psychological coercion or reputational harm

Threats of use of the above tactics can also be sufficient grounds for a forced labor claim. Traffickers often secure individuals’ labor by directly threatening or otherwise causing those individuals to fear that these tactics will be imposed against them.

Victims of human trafficking are often recruited or transported for the purpose of exploitation through forced labor. Victims of trafficking are not free to leave, plan, or secure fair payment for the work they perform because they can face threats, violence, and other abuse. We often file suit against companies under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Our attorneys are currently investigating:

• Healthcare companies and recruiters that force foreign healthcare workers to work through threat of supposed “liquidated damages” provisions in the workers’ contracts, which impose penalties of tens of thousands of dollars if workers leave their jobs.
• Airline recruiting companies that threaten repayment of oppressive and inflated “training repayment” penalties for any workers who cease working with the companies.
• The Shen Yun dance company, its directors, and affiliates for powering their performances through the forced labor of children.

No Fees Without Recovery

Berger Montague represents clients on a contingency fee basis. You do not have to pay us up front for consultations or for us to represent you. You also pay nothing if we lose your case. We only take payment unless and until we win your case out of an agreed-upon percentage of your eventual verdict amount or settlement.

For more information or to schedule a confidential discussion about a potential case, please fill out the contact form on our website or call us at 1-800-424-6690. You can also get in touch with us by sending an email to info@bergermontague.com, or by contacting Mariyam Hussain at mhussain@bergermontague.com.