News Brief
US Department of Labor, Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock renew agreement to help region’s migrant workers to know their legal rights
Participants: U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division
Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock
Agreement description: The Wage and Hour Division and the Consulate of Mexico have renewed an existing agreement to provide information, guidance and access to workers’ rights training to Spanish-speaking workers in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Renewed on Sept. 2, 2022, during national Labor Rights Week, the three-year agreement seeks to reduce violations by locating and educating low-wage, at-risk workers about their rights and protections afforded by the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, including the responsibilities of employers to pay legally required wages.
Background: The agreement is a cooperative relationship to provide training, education, outreach and to promote dialogue around laws and regulations the Wage and Hour Division enforces. Together, the agency and the consulate will coordinate opportunities to reach native Mexican workers in the three-state region with information on workplace rights and protections.
Quote: “Knowledge is an essential to a worker’s ability to understand their rights and seek assistance to ensure these rights are protected. By renewing our agreement with the Consulate of Mexico, we will continue to provide assistance to native Mexican workers and employers in the region,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Hanz Grünauer in Little Rock, Arkansas. “The efforts outlined in this agreement demonstrate our commitment to migrant and Spanish-speaking workers.”
