Labour exploitation ranges from mild to more severe criminal forms of exploitation. It can include exploitative labour conditions, forced labour and trafficking for labour exploitation. As frontline staff, workplace inspectors are well placed to identify exploitation. A 2018 FRA report on protecting migrant workers shows that only some EU Member States clearly define in law what constitutes exploitative labour conditions. Only a few make detecting criminal forms of labour exploitation a key aim of workplace inspections in line with their obligations under EU and international law.
Workplace inspectors are encouraged to take the following measures to identify labour exploitation and refer victims to support by: