The right to be free from slavery or forced labour
The right to be free from slavery or forced labour is protected by Article 4 of the Human Rights Act.
Some examples of when your right to be free from slavery and forced labour may be at risk include:
If you are forced to work for little or no money
If you are forced to work and cannot leave or escape, for example, your employer has taken away your passport
If you are unable to refuse to work because you are frightened and/or are being threatened. These threats might by physical or psychological.
If you are forced to work to pay off a debt
Slavery and forced labour are often described as modern slavery and can include:
Domestic slavery
Sexual exploitation
Forced labour in construction sites, farms, car washes, manufacturing etc
Being forced into crime, for example, children and young adults being made to traffic drugs
It is important to note that this right does not apply to:
work you have to do as part of a prison or community sentence
work the government requires you to do in a state of emergency
work that is part of normal civic obligations, e.g. jury service
Key Information
This right often comes up in: Ending violence against women, migration and refugee rights, safeguarding people.
Absolute right
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Can my right to be free from slavery or forced labour be restricted by a public official?
No. This right is an absolute right, which means it cannot be restricted or interfered with by public officials under any circumstances. The government and public authorities have a duty to protect people from slavery, servitude and forced labour, through laws, investigations and practical help.
What duties do public officials have?
This means that public officials should not breach your right to be free from slavery and forced labour.
This means that people working in public bodies have to take reasonable steps to ensure that you are free from slavery and forced labour.
This means that if you have not been protected from slavery and forced labour government officials need to investigate why this happened and take steps to try and stop the same thing from happening again.
