FLEX has updated and re-launched its Guide to Legal Remedies for Victims of Trafficking for Labour Exploitation, providing practical information for victims and support organisations on accessing compensation for labour exploitation. The Guide, originally published in 2014, covers a wide range of legal remedies for exploited workers, including employment claims, criminal injuries compensation, and civil litigation.

This comes at a time when access to justice for exploited workers has had a rare win, with the decision of the Supreme Court two weeks ago that Employment Tribunal fees introduced in 2013 were unlawful. Following this decision, workers will no longer have to pay hundreds of pounds to take a case of unpaid wages or discrimination against their employer. This change will make it possible for many more exploited workers to bring employment cases, allowing them to claim the wages owed to them, and combatting the culture of impunity for labour rights abuses that is so pervasive in the UK.

FLEX’s updated Guide takes in changes to the law since 2014, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015. With practical information about legal requirements, time limits, costs and legal aid, the Guide provides victims and support providers with the information required to consider their legal options and take steps towards accessing their legal rights.

Electronic copies of the Guide can be found here.  Hard copies may be requested by emailing [email protected].