Devyani Khobragade, who was India’s deputy consul-general in New York, confiscated her nanny’s, Sangeeta Richard, passport and made her work 100-hour, seven-day weeks, denied her guaranteed sick days and holidays while paying her a salary of little over $1 (60p) an hour in New York, or about one-seventh the US minimum wage, according to a US grand jury indictment.
Khobragade’s lawyer, Daniel Arshack, said she “She knows she has done no wrong and she looks forward to assuring that the truth is known”
The case has shone a light on US efforts to investigate and prosecute allegations of abuse of foreign employees of diplomats and consular workers. The SOYMB blog highlighted the fact in regard to migrant domestic workers rather than providing protect foreign domestic servants in this country, the UK authorities actively enforces the power and control that employers possesses through immigration restrictions. In April 2012 the Government rescinded rules that provided the most important protection available to domestic workers – their freedom to withdraw their labour and work for someone else. Whereas domestic workers have been able to flee abuse and find new work to support themselves and their families now domestic workers who escape exploitation find themselves destitute, homeless, reliant on strangers for support and with no way of earning money to support their families. They can no longer change employer, renew their visa or apply for settlement after 5 years.
The UK permits wealthy employers to bring their domestic staff to the UK but declines to ensure these employers treat their domestic workers in accordance with the law. The UK law has left domestic workers dependent on the caprice of their employer. A member of the House of Lords characterised the situation as domestic workers being seen simply as part of "the employer’s luggage". The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery has described the situation where migrant domestic workers are not allowed to freely change employers as one of ‘neo-bondage’, that encourages servitude.
Khobragade’s lawyer, Daniel Arshack, said she “She knows she has done no wrong and she looks forward to assuring that the truth is known”
The case has shone a light on US efforts to investigate and prosecute allegations of abuse of foreign employees of diplomats and consular workers. The SOYMB blog highlighted the fact in regard to migrant domestic workers rather than providing protect foreign domestic servants in this country, the UK authorities actively enforces the power and control that employers possesses through immigration restrictions. In April 2012 the Government rescinded rules that provided the most important protection available to domestic workers – their freedom to withdraw their labour and work for someone else. Whereas domestic workers have been able to flee abuse and find new work to support themselves and their families now domestic workers who escape exploitation find themselves destitute, homeless, reliant on strangers for support and with no way of earning money to support their families. They can no longer change employer, renew their visa or apply for settlement after 5 years.
The UK permits wealthy employers to bring their domestic staff to the UK but declines to ensure these employers treat their domestic workers in accordance with the law. The UK law has left domestic workers dependent on the caprice of their employer. A member of the House of Lords characterised the situation as domestic workers being seen simply as part of "the employer’s luggage". The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery has described the situation where migrant domestic workers are not allowed to freely change employers as one of ‘neo-bondage’, that encourages servitude.
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