Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act

To direct the Secretary of Labor to train certain employees of Department of Labor how to effectively detect and assist law enforcement in preventing human trafficking during the course of their official duties, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act 2. Definition of human trafficking In this Act, the term human trafficking 22 U.S.C. 7102 3. Training for Department personnel to identify human trafficking (a) In General Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall implement a program to provide the training and periodic continuing education described in subsection (b) to employees of the Department of Labor whom the Secretary determines should receive such training or education based on their official duties. In making such determination with respect to employees of the Wage and Hour Division, the Secretary shall consider the training and education needs of such employees operating in a State with a significant increase in oppressive child labor (as defined in section 3(l) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 203(l) (b) Training and continuing education described The training and continuing education provided under the program referred to in subsection (a)— (1) may be conducted through in-class or virtual learning capabilities; and (2) shall include— (A) training or continuing education that— (i) is most appropriate for the particular location or professional environment in which the employees receiving such training or continuing education perform their official duties; (ii) covers topics determined by the Secretary of Labor to appropriately reflect current trends and best practices for such location or environment; and (iii) includes— (I) the provision of current information on matters related to the detection of human trafficking to the extent relevant to the official duties of such employees, and consistent with privacy laws; (II) methods for identifying suspected victims of human trafficking and parties who may be suspected of the trafficking activity; and (III) a clear course of action for referring potential cases of human trafficking to the Department of Justice and other appropriate authorities, in accordance with best practices for protecting the rights of victims of human trafficking, including appropriate collaboration with victim advocacy organizations, Federal agencies, and State and local officials; and (B) an evaluation of the training or continuing education by such employees after the completion of such training or education. 4. Reports to Congress Not later than 1 year after the Secretary of Labor first implements the program under section 3(a), and each year thereafter, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, a report on— (1) the training and continuing education provided under the program for the preceding year, including— (A) an evaluation (including the overall effectiveness) of such training and continuing education; and (B) the number of individuals who have completed such training or continuing education; and (2) the number of cases related to the detection of human trafficking, which were referred to the Department of Justice and other appropriate authorities during the preceding year by the Department of Labor, and the processes used by the Department of Labor to accurately measure and track the response of the Department of Justice and other appropriate authorities to such cases. January 25, 2024 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to provide training and education to its employees on how to effectively detect and assist law enforcement in detecting human trafficking. The bill directs Labor to determine which employees should receive the training and education based on their official duties. Further, it requires the training and education to include information that is appropriate for the employees' location or environment; that reflects current trends and best practices for the location or environment; and that is relevant to detecting human trafficking, identifying suspected victims, and referring potential cases to the Department of Justice and other appropriate authorities.