Courts and legislatures both in the United States and abroad continue to prioritize the eradication of labor trafficking in corporate supply chains. Labor trafficking litigation in the United States remains widespread and varied, premised on legal theories derived from consumer protection laws, the Alien Tort Statute, and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. The United States has also focused heavily in recent months on addressing human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang, China, resulting in new legislation and corporate sanctions. Similarly, the United Kingdom has seen recent advancement in governmental response to labor trafficking, as well as litigation alleging corporate liability for international human rights violations.

This Jones Day White Paper serves as an update to our prior publications regarding legislation and executive action aimed at curbing forced labor in supply chains, setting forth developments in the areas of: (i) litigation within the United States; (ii) efforts to end labor violations in Xinjiang, China; and (iii) other developments abroad.