DOL Awards $1.3 Million to Help Implement Mexican Employment Discrimination Laws
The agency reached an agreement with Heartland Alliance International, a human rights group.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has awarded a $1,389,000 cooperative agreement to the human rights group Heartland Alliance International to help the Mexican government implement the 2012 labor law reforms on discrimination, according to a DOL release. The reforms focus on sexual orientation- and gender-based discrimination, including sexual harassment and forced pregnancy testing.
"Protecting workers' rights, including those of women and LGBT workers, is a moral and economic imperative and requires a global effort," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "We are confident that this funding will strengthen that effort by promoting effective implementation of Mexico's historic reforms."
The Government of Mexico has expressed support for HAI in this effort, which seeks to improve government enforcement of Mexican labor discrimination laws; amend private-sector social compliance programs to better combat labor discrimination and increase employer participation in those programs; and expand worker awareness of the reformed Mexican labor laws on discrimination and how to effectively report violations.