Exploitation at work is forcing a worker to work in violation of the rules on working time and rest time and knowingly giving the worker false information about working conditions. Non-payment of agreed wages is a common form of labour exploitation.
Exploitation also includes limiting a worker's freedom of movement or constantly controlling the worker's mobility, social isolation, such as denying or limiting contact with loved ones and preventing the worker from seeking help, physical or sexual violence, intimidation and threats, such as threatening to refuse to pay wages or to hand them over to the authorities, taking identity and travel documents and holding them in one's possession.
Human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation or forced labour refers to abusive activities that result in the worker being placed in a forced situation with poor working conditions, long working hours and pay below the national threshold (underpayment), poor or even dangerous working conditions, and little or no opportunity to change the situation. Forced labour refers to any work or service that a person is forced to do against his or her will, under threat or in fear of punishment..
Read more about labour exploitation on the Labour Inspectorate's website.
If you have any doubts about whether your workplace is treating you fairly and legally, find out more about workplace exploitation on the Support for Victims website.
If you feel that you have been exposed to fraudulent job offers, labour exploitation or have been lured into committing a crime, you can get help from the Prevention and Victim Helpline counsellor on (+372) 660 7320 (Mon-Fri 9-17) or call their crisis line (+372) 116 006 (24/7). You can also contact them by email at inimkaubandus@sotsiaalkindlustusamet.ee or on Facebook.
You can write to the police about your concerns at: thb.info@politsei.ee.
Read more about human trafficking on the Criminal Policy website.