The global spread of COVID-19 has prompted unprecedented measures to contain the virus, including the temporary shutdown of business and widespread restrictions on movement. Around the world, travel plans and workplaces have been disrupted and work habits changed. Yet throughout the pandemic, it has been business as usual for some offshore call center agents in Tunisia and Morocco, who continued handling calls and queries on behalf of multinational companies to serve the needs of clients and customers abroad. This briefing summarizes some of the key human rights risks to workers in this sector, and considers the steps taken by ten call centers operating in and six clients outsourcing services to Tunisia and/or Morocco to protect workers amidst the crisis. We found that the pandemic has exacerbated systemic risks of economic hardship, psychological strain – due to long hours under constant surveillance, verbal abuse and stress – and introduced new risks linked to health hazards amid the virus. Similar concerns have been reported in other parts of the world, including South Korea, the US and Brazil, underscoring the endemic, transnational nature of these risks, which have long been a reality for many call center workers. The briefing also outlines recommendations for companies to address these

Disconnected: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Call Center Workers‘ rights in Tunisia and Morocco - Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, 2020 DOWNLOAD

post

page

attachment

revision

nav_menu_item

custom_css

customize_changeset

oembed_cache

user_request

wp_block

wp_template

wp_template_part

wp_global_styles

wp_navigation

wp_font_family

wp_font_face

acf-taxonomy

acf-post-type

acf-field-group

acf-field

ai1ec_event

exactmetrics_note

2009 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
Publications

Abstract On September 10, 2009, the Department of Labor released its initial “list of goods from countries” (List), pursuant to Section 105(b)(2)(C) of the TVPRA of 2005. The List was released as part of a larger report detailing the methodology,...Read More

Freedom of movement for persons identified as victims of human trafficking: An analysis of law, policy and practice in the ASEAN Region
GuidancePublications

Author: Marika McAdam Sheltering victims of trafficking require a complex balance to be achieved between the rights of victims (including to freedom of movement and liberty), and the sometimes competing interests of other stakeholders. This Study...Read More

The French Law on Duty of Care: A Historic Step Towards Making Globalization Work for All
Publications

By Sandra COSSART, Jérôme and Tiphaine BEAU DE LOMENIE INTRODUCTION The difficult journey of the French Bill on the duty of care of parent and subcontracting companies came to an end on 23 March 2017, when the French Constitutional Council (Counc...Read More

US Supermarket Supply Chains: End the Human Suffering Behind our Food
Publications

Inequality is rampant across the global economy, and the agro-food sector is no exception. At the top, big supermarkets and other corporate food giants dominate global food markets, allowing them to squeeze value from vast supply chains that span the...Read More