Illegal employment: the case of Mr. Marilag and the commencement of action in practice

The primary aim of the action is to achieve systemic change in the protection of victims of illegal employment in Slovenia. The case of a person who was subjected to illegal employment presents an opportunity for the first practical application of Article 50 of the Foreigners Act, which has provided protection since 2011 for victims willing to cooperate in proceedings against perpetrators, but has never been applied in practice. A successful resolution of the case could establish an important precedent for future cases and improve cooperation between the competent authorities. Its systemic significance is further underscored by reports of at least 25 workers in a similar situation. In addition to providing direct support to Ms Marilag, the action therefore contributes to developing a more effective mechanism for protecting foreign workers from exploitation and the consequences of illegal employment.

As part of the project, a model response to violations of labour legislation will be developed. It will include a strategic response plan that will serve as a model for addressing any similar violations that may occur in the future. It will be made available to anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation. The case will also be reported to the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia.

An awareness-raising campaign will be carried out on how to identify violations of labour legislation, with the aim of increasing awareness of the issue and encouraging people to take action when violations are detected. Filipino workers will be informed about the options available for reporting cases of abuse by employers.

To increase recognition of the problem and encourage appropriate responses, the general public will also be informed about the issue through social media and traditional media.

A strategic response plan will be developed to serve as a model for responding to any similar violations that may occur in the future. It will be made available for use by anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation in the future.

The case will be reported to the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia.

At least two meetings will be held with representatives of Filipino workers to provide information on available options for reporting abuse by employers.

At least 10 posts will be published in a Facebook group bringing together Filipino workers.

At least 10 social media posts will be published to reach the general public (the partner’s Instagram profile currently has 877 followers).

A press conference will be organised to publicly present the issue addressed by the project. All relevant media outlets will be invited, with an expected attendance of at least three media representatives.