Appendix II Migrant Workers’ Charter
Recruitment
Recruitment agencies and individual recruiters, whether UK-based or otherwise, are often the first step of the recruitment process of migrant care workers. Recruitment is often the stage at which debt-bondage, illegal fees and other forced-labour and modernday slavery emerges.
Signatory local authorities will:
19. Require all contracted care providers to list all recruiters and recruitment agencies they work with, and the local authority will conduct due diligence investigation into these recruiters as part of both the procurement and contract reviewal process.
20. Use the NHS’ s ethical recruiter list in England or work towards an equivalent list.
Driving & Licences
Many domiciliary care workers need to drive as a part of their job. Difficulties with changing from an international to a UK driving licence, as well as non or under-payment of travel time can be a risk for migrant care workers and their visa statuses.
Signatory local authorities will:
21. Provide information, guides and other support as appropriate, to explain and( as possible) expedite the process for acquiring a UK Driving Licence.
22. Ensure that contracted care providers calculate and pay travel time as working time.
23. Ensure contracted care providers do not block staff from viewing rota information or travel time / mileage break downs on care planning apps, which make it difficult for staff to calculate if they have been paid correctly, unless there is a specific and justifiable reason for doing so.
Employment Rights
Knowledge of employment rights and access to trade unions are fundamentally important for all workers.
Signatory local authorities will:
24. Ensure contracted care providers provide migrant care workers with a copy of their statement of particulars and / or terms and conditions at the earliest opportunity. These will be in the worker’ s first language, where requested.
25. Provide migrant care workers with details of trade unions operating within the care sector and provide them with the opportunity to meet with union representatives.
Monitoring and Implementation
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