The US Embassy tackled laws and regulations governing temporary worker’s visas with Philippine employment agencies as part of the Department of State’s efforts to combat illegal recruitment and human trafficking.

In a press conference at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila on May 18, US Embassy spokesman Betina Malone explained that US temporary worker’s visas are issued to a wide range of overseas Filipino workers (OFW)—from semi-skilled workers like domestic helpers, hotel workers, and construction workers—to workers in jobs requiring college degrees, and workers who are temporarily transferred from their offices in the Philippines to their company’s offices in the US.

In a press release forwarded to PIA, Malone said the day-long conference featured presentations by officials of the embassy’s consular section; representatives from the Office of the Vice President/Presidential Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment; the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking; the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration; the Commission on Filipinos Overseas; and the Guam Department of Labor.

Malone said speakers from the embassy highlighted the rights of foreign workers while they are temporarily employed in America as provided in the legislation known as the “William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Act.”

She added that the embassy gives persons traveling to the US for temporary employment a pamphlet detailing the important provisions of this law.

The pamphlet is also available in Tagalog for workers who may be at greater risk of being exploited because they lack fluency in English, Malone said.

Both English and Tagalog versions of the pamphlet identify groups that exploited workers may contact, and provide links to US government authorities such as the Department of Labor. PIA

Source: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120522met2.html