Employers Convicted of Slavery in 2007

January 9th, 2008 Posted by Amelia

While the majority of employers and Human Resource professionals do their jobs in a very competent way, 2007 brought a host of bad bosses to the attention of the public.

The winners in the “bad boss” competition has to be a tie between the New York couple convicted of slavery, and a California company convicted on a similar charge.

In the New York case, a couple who operate a multi-million dollar international perfume distribution company out of their home, we convicted of slavery. According to court testimony, the couple held two women from Indonesia captive in their mansion in the exclusive enclave of Muttontown. The two housekeepers were beaten, cut with knives, and tortured for minor infractions such as oversleeping, misplacing an item or pilfering food when they were starving.

The two women worked up to 140 hours per week for about $100, a clear violation of the New York minimum wage laws. Adding insult to injury, the money was not given to the women, but sent to their relatives in Indonesia.

According to court documents, one of the housekeepers was forced to eat spoiled food. When she vomited, she was forced to eat the vomit.

The couple faces up to 30 years in prison.

The second slavery case also involved immigrants. Trans Bay Steel company of Napa and Los Angeles, in California, applied for H-2B visas for a number of workers. The workers were promised high-paying work as welders. Instead, when they arrived, 48 Thai welders were sent to Los Angeles, where some were forced to work in a Thai restaurant. The men were not paid, and were forced to sleep on the floor in a vacant apartment without electricity or running water.

Their passports were confiscated and their movements were restricted. The employees were forced to work without pay. In addition, some were confined to cramped apartments without electricity, water or gas.

At least 17 of the workers were told that if they attempted to leave, the police and immigration officials would arrest them. The EEOC contends that all the workers were forced to pay enormous fees to the recruiting company, which effectively kept them in involuntary servitude.

Eventually some of the workers escaped the slave-like conditions and were able to alert authorities.

The men were working to retrofit the Bay Bridge under a sub-contract won by Trans Bay, Inc. Trans Bay contracted with Kota Manpower Co. to bring skilled workers from Thailand. Eventually, 9 of the 48 workers were employed by Trans Bay. The remaining workers were forced to work without pay in Los Angles and Long Beach, in Thai restaurants owned by Kota Manpower. Some were also forced to work other menial jobs without pay.

“The issues of human trafficking and slavery are an enforcement priority for the Commission,” said Anna Y. Park, Regional Attorney in EEOC’s Los Angeles District Office, which has jurisdiction for the southern half of California. “The EEOC is committed to the protection of all workers, particularly those most vulnerable in our society. The workers in this case sought out the American dream, but instead faced a nightmare.”

After an extensive investigation, the EEOC won the suit against Trans Bay and was awarded up to $1 million. This award includes a monetary payment to each worker, with guaranteed employment on the Bay Bridge Project.  The company also agreed to provide a housing stipend for workers.

After losing this case, the Trans Bay Steel Corp agreed to provide jobs for the men, pay their tuition to trade school, and provide living accommodations for them. In addition, the men were promised jobs once they comleted their schooling.

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