Senate Bill 1193, passed last year, requires specified businesses and establishments to post an 8.5” x 11” notice, on or before April 1, 2013.

The required posting provides important information on how to report suspected human trafficking and also provides victims of human trafficking with information on where to obtain help. The notice informs the public and victims of human trafficking of telephone hotline numbers and contains information about organizations that provide services to eliminate slavery and human trafficking.

The State of California Department of Justice (DOJ) developed the model notice that complies with the requirements of SB 1193.

California “is one of the nation’s top four destination states for trafficking human beings,” according to the DOJ. Human trafficking, as the DOJ states, is “a modern form of slavery. It involves controlling a person through force, fraud, or coercion to exploit the victim for forced labor, sexual exploitation or both.”

Applies Only to Specified Businesses and Establishments

Only specific businesses, including, but not limited to, farm labor contractors, bus stations and truck stops, must comply. The list of businesses required to post the notice is available on HRCalifornia and also on the DOJ’s human trafficking website. 

The notice must be posted in English, Spanish and one other language that is the most widely spoken language in the county where the business is located (and for which translation is mandated by the Voting Rights Act). The Attorney General provided a list of counties in which a third language other than English and Spanish is the most widely spoken language and has also provided additional translations of the model notice.

Author: Gail Cecchettini Whaley

HR Watchdog, HRCalifornia’s Employment Law Blog, © California Chamber of Commerce