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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 1:52 am
Time: 1:52 am
Results for domestic workers (u.k.)
1 results foundAuthor: Lalani, Mumtaz Title: Ending the Abuse: Policies That Work to Protect Migrant Domestic Workers Summary: From June 2010 to January 2011 the London-based charity Kalayaan conducted research on the ‘Overseas Domestic Worker’ (ODW) visa system in the UK. Drawing on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, the research identifies the importance of a legal channel of migration for migrant domestic workers (MDWs) to the UK and confirms that the ODW visa route is working as intended and as such has a negligible impact on net migration to the UK. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of the ODW visa in protecting the rights of MDWs and emphasises the need for similar protections to diplomatic domestic workers. Finally, the research findings indicate that the measures in place to identify and assist trafficked domestic workers in the UK could in no way act as an alternative system of protection to the protections currently afforded to MDWs through the visa. Home Office data for the period from January 2003 to August 2010 shows that 41 per cent of MDWs cited types of abuse or exploitation as their reason for changing employer. The right to change employer thus enables MDWs to escape from abusive employers. Interviews conducted by Kalayaan indicate that this right facilitates workers to negotiate fairer terms and conditions in their future employment, remaining visible in the UK whilst continuing to support their families by sending remittances home. The visa’s portability provision also plays a crucial role in facilitating domestic workers to pursue legal remedies against their employers. Indeed, between May 2009 and December 2010, 53 domestic workers brought employment tribunal cases against their employers; 34 of these cases had been concluded by December 2010. Taking such action would be unthinkable if the worker had to continue working for their employer and residing in their household and would be impossible if workers lost their right to remain in the UK when they fled from an abusive employer. Further, the protections afforded to MDWs under UK employment law, and in particular, the right to legal remedy, arguably help to reduce the incidence of trafficking and forced labour among MDWs. Indeed, in 2009 the Home The overwhelming majority of MDWs accompany their foreign employers to the UK for a finite period of time. Estimates using United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) figures show that less than 5 per cent of domestic workers who enter the UK on an ODW visa go on to settle. In 2009, MDWs accounted for a mere 0.5 per cent of the individuals who were awarded settlement in the UK, thus showing that this immigration route has a negligible impact on net migration to the UK. For the few domestic workers who remain in the UK, the route to settlement rids them of their underlying vulnerability by removing their dependency on employers to maintain their immigration status and facilitates their integration into UK society. Details: London: Kalayaan, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2011 at: http://www.kalayaan.org.uk/documents/Kalayaan%20Report%20final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.kalayaan.org.uk/documents/Kalayaan%20Report%20final.pdf Shelf Number: 121759 Keywords: Domestic Workers (U.K.)Forced LaborHuman TraffickingImmigrantsImmigrationMigrant Workers |