Labor Briefs: Improved Enforcement of Mexico’s Labor Laws & Joins South American Countries to Launch Labor Rights Week 2022

US Department of Labor Awards $12M to Support Improved Enforcement of Mexico’s Labor Laws, Landmark 2019 Reform Efforts

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor Aug. 29, announced the award of grant funding of $12 million to the American Institutes for Research to empower federal and state labor inspectors in Mexico to improve enforcement of Mexico’s landmark 2019 labor law reform in five of its states.

AIR is a nonprofit, nonpartisan behavioral and social science research, evaluation and technical assistance organization based in Arlington, Virginia. 

Administered by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, this funding opportunity strengthens the enforcement capabilities of federal and state Mexican labor authorities and improves their labor inspection’s efficacy to ensure labor rights compliance.

The project’s strategy for achieving this goal includes the development and launch of a comprehensive and sustainable training program for labor inspectors at the federal and state levels, improvements in strategic planning, administration, resource management of labor inspections and establishing proper outreach and compliance initiatives.

Details: www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab 

Department of Labor Joins With Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras leaders to launch Labor Rights Week 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor kicked off Labor Rights Week 2022 Aug. 29, with the first in a series of nationwide events at the consular section of the Mexican Embassy in Washington. Department representatives met with Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma, Rafael Laveaga, chief of consular section of the embassy of Mexico, Vanessa Calva, general director for consular protections and strategic planning, Jessica Mendoza, consul general of Guatemala, Lorena Mojica, vice consul of El Salvador and Allan Agurcia, consul from the consular section of the embassy of Honduras.

The meeting marks the start of outreach events throughout the country, sponsored by many U.S. government agencies and U.S. consulates of Mexico and several Central and Latin American countries to raise awareness and inform employers and workers of federal responsibilities and protections. 

The department’s contingent was led by assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health Doug Parker, wage and hour division principal deputy administrator Jessica Looman and deputy undersecretary for international affairs Thea Lee. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and National Labor Relations board representatives also participated.

From Aug. 29 to Sept. 2, Labor Rights Week events focused on issues such as wage theft, workplace safety, women’s workplace rights, protections for workers employed under the H-2A and H-2B programs, disability protections and human trafficking.

Details: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasp/labor-rights-week