About the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG)

The Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG) is a group of key organisations working with potential and actual victims of trafficking for labour exploitation. LEAG was established by FLEX in 2015 in order to promote information-sharing and collaboration for change on trafficking for labour exploitation; and hold FLEX accountable to those for whom we work.

LEAG aims to build a shared understanding of the experiences of vulnerable and exploited workers in the UK, and to ensure that their voiced needs form the basis of all actions to address trafficking for labour exploitation.

LEAG works together to assess the impact of formal and informal responses to trafficking for labour exploitation by government and non-government actors; and identify barriers and develop joint strategies for improving the relevance and effectiveness of trafficking responses for vulnerable and exploited workers.

LEAG consists of individuals appointed for their expertise in the field from:

• FLEX 
• Latin American Women’s Rights Service
• Praxis Community Projects
• Unite the Union                                              
• Equality                                              
• East European Resource Centre                       
• Ashiana
• British Red Cross
• Kalayaan
• Bail for Immigration Detainees

LEAG members with the former UK Director of Labour Market Enforcement, Sir David Metcalf.

LEAG Publications                                                                   

Position Paper: Labour Compliance to Exploitation and the Abuses In-between

Published by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), August 2016.

In this position paper the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group explores the link between labour abuses and exploitation, outlining the factors which in their experience cause or allow labour abuses to develop into more extreme exploitation. The paper makes recommendations for measures to address abuses across the spectrum and thereby prevent the development of exploitation. 

Position Paper: Lost in Transition: Brexit & Labour Exploitation

Published by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), August 2017.

This paper explores the impact of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union (Brexit) on workers’ vulnerability to labour exploitation. Combining desk-based research and interviews with members of the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), this paper sets out how migrant worker vulnerability to exploitation has been affected by the UK referendum vote to leave the European Union. It looks both at the immediate impact of that decision and considers the key risk areas for the future as the UK transitions out of the EU.

LEAG submission to the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery on the gendered dimensions of contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences

Submitted by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), May 2018.

This submission focuses on gendered aspects of labour abuse and exploitation by drawing on discussions and case studies from the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG) and the LEAG Working Group on Women Workers on four highly feminised sectors: care, cleaning, hospitality and domestic work.

FLEX/LEAG Joint submission to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration in response to call for evidence: an inspection of how the Home Office is tackling illegal working

Submitted by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), September 2018.

This submission describes the experiences of FLEX and LEAG with the Home Office’s activities to tackle illegal working and provides illustrative case studies from FLEX and LEAG’s work with potential and actual victims of human trafficking for labour exploitation.

LEAG Submission to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration call for evidence: ‘Adults at Risk’ in immigration detention

Submited by the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), February 2019.

People who have experienced trafficking or modern slavery are considered ‘vulnerable’ under the Home Office’s ‘Adults at Risk’ policy. This submission describes the experiences of LEAG in supporting and advocating for victims of trafficking in detention and provides illustrative case studies of the experiences of members’ clients with the Home Office’s ‘Adults at Risk’ policy.

Report: Detaining Victims: human trafficking and the UK immigration detention system

Published by the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), July 2019.

This report draws on the frontline experiences of Labour Exploitation Advisory Group members, including Ashiana Sheffield, Latin American Women's Rights Service and Bail for Immigration Detainees, to explore why and how victims of trafficking are being detained under immigration powers in the UK. It makes strong recommendations to government and calls for an overhaul to the system enabling this to take place.

LEAG submission to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy consultation on a Single Enforcement Body for employment rights

Submited by the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG), October 2019.

This submission focuses on LEAG’s concerns around the new Single Enforcement Body’s proposal to work more closely with other enforcement bodies, more specifically immigration enforcement. It describes how fear of immigration consequences currently acts as a major barrier to reporting and seeking help when migrant workers face labour abuses and exploitation. This collaboration is seen to negatively affect labour inspectorate’s ability to support workers and identify employers in breach of employment law in the UK. It recommends that UK labour enforcement activities abide by article 3(2) of the International Labour Organisation Convention 81 and recommendation by the former Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, and protect the rights and interests of all workers, irrespective of immigration status.

Report: Opportunity Knocks: improving responses to labour exploitation with secure reporting

Published by the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG) and Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), April 2020.

This report explores the barriers documented and undocumented migrants face reporting workplace abuse and exploitation to the police and labour inspectors in the UK. It introduces a detailed framework to analyse how information about peoples’ immigration status becomes available to the Home Office following workers’ interaction with police and labour market enforcement agencies. It builds on international examples to provide practical recommendations to government, police and labour market enforcement agencies on introducing and strengthening secure reporting systems to identify and prevent labour exploitation.

Executive summary available here.