Trafficking and Forced Labor

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex acts. Our team of compassionate and skilled attorneys fiercely advocates for trafficking victims and those who have experienced all types of trafficking and forced labor.

If you believe you may have experienced human trafficking, please contact our firm immediately so that we can assess your case and pursue justice on your behalf.

It is illegal to obtain labor from someone by threatening serious harm. Individuals or companies 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;
• Pursuing 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.

We often file suit against companies under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). We pursue claims against the immediate traffickers, as well as any other person or company that knowingly benefited from a venture that engaged in trafficking. In some instances, traffickers and the beneficiaries of the scheme can be sued in U.S. federal courts even if they do not live in the United States.

Investigations and Recent Cases

Our attorneys are currently investigating and/or pursuing cases against:

• Healthcare companies and recruiters that force foreign healthcare workers to work through threat of supposed “liquidated damages” provisions in the workers’ contracts, which impose substantial financial if workers leave their jobs.
• Airlines and other companies that threaten repayment of oppressive and inflated “training repayment” penalties for any workers who cease working with the companies.
• Companies that lure H-1B and H-1A workers to the U.S. and threaten that the workers will be required to repay immigration fees, training, or wages if they leave.
• 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 if and when we win your case and this payment is calculated as an agreed-upon percentage of the 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 or Michaela Wallin at mwallin@bergermontague.com.