Executive Order

Executive Order  No. 568: Establishing a zero tolerance policy for human trafficking and related activities

Date: 04/07/2016
Issuer: Governor Charlie Baker
Mass Register: No. 1311

Table of Contents

WHEREAS, human trafficking is a form of modern slavery and includes both sex trafficking and labor trafficking;

WHEREAS, there were 62 cases of human trafficking reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center from Massachusetts in 2015;

WHEREAS, victims of human trafficking are frequently members of vulnerable populations, such as domestic violence survivors, members of immigrant communities, and homeless or runaway youth;

WHEREAS, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children estimates that one out of every five runaway children reported to the Center in 2015 were victims of sex trafficking;

WHEREAS, a critical way of reducing human trafficking is to reduce the demand for trafficked services, including commercial sex, and all individuals and employers have a responsibility to refrain from engaging in such activities; and

WHEREAS, the executive department of the Commonwealth is the largest employer in the state and has a responsibility to set an example for other employers;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution, Part 2, c. 2, § 1, Art. 1, do hereby order as follows:

Section 1.  It is the policy of the Commonwealth to have zero tolerance for human trafficking and related activities, including the solicitation of or payment for commercial sex. 

Section 2. The Human Resources Division shall, within sixty days of this Order, establish and issue a written policy for employees of all agencies subject to the Governor’s control that contains the following elements:

  1. a definition, description, and examples of human trafficking and related activities;
  2. a statement of zero tolerance for such activities;
  3. a statement that any use of work time or workplace facilities to engage in such activities is cause for discipline up to and including termination;
  4. a statement that a judicial determination of probable cause that an employee has committed a criminal act of human trafficking or related activities may result in discipline up to and including termination by the employer, regardless of whether such criminal act occurred in or near the workplace.

Section 3.  All agencies subject to the Governor’s control are directed to exercise their best efforts to include principles of zero tolerance for human trafficking and related activities in future collective bargaining agreements.

Section 4.  This Executive Order shall continue in effect until amended, superseded or revoked by subsequent Executive Order.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston this 7 day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen and of the Independence of the United States of America two hundred forty.

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