S. 2241: Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act

This bill, known as the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, aims to strengthen the ability of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and its employees to detect and respond to human trafficking. Here are the key points of the bill:

Training Employees

The Secretary of Labor is required to implement a training program for certain DOL employees. This program must be established within 180 days of the bill becoming law. Employees eligible for training will be determined based on their official duties, particularly focusing on those in areas with high levels of oppressive child labor.

Content of the Training

The training program, which can occur either in-person or online, will cover several important components:

• Information about human trafficking relevant to employees' official duties, respecting privacy laws.
• Methods for identifying suspected victims of human trafficking and individuals potentially involved in trafficking.
• Procedures for reporting potential human trafficking cases to the Department of Justice and other relevant authorities.
• Collaboration strategies with victim advocacy organizations and various governmental levels to ensure effective support for victims.
• An evaluation process for employees to assess the effectiveness of the training after completion.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary of Labor must provide annual reports to both the House Committee on Education and Workforce and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. These reports will include:

• Details on the training conducted in the previous year, including its overall effectiveness and the number of participants who completed the program.
• Data on human trafficking cases referred to the Department of Justice and related agencies, along with a description of how these cases were tracked and measured.

Definition of Human Trafficking

The bill references the legal definition of human trafficking as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, providing a framework for understanding what constitutes human trafficking.

Overall Purpose

The overarching goal of this legislation is to enhance the Department of Labor's capacity to effectively identify and assist in the prevention of human trafficking through improved training and collaboration with other entities.

Relevant Companies

None found