“Protecting workers during and after the global pandemic”, 06 April 2020

With today’s extraordinary circumstances in mind … we offer the following recommendations for action based on the application of FLA Principles during this crisis…

Recommendations

• … [T]o protect … livelihoods … brands should cancel orders only as a last resort. At a minimum, brands should pay in full for orders started or completed...
• Where orders are… viable, but factories are over capacity, brands should consider re-allocating orders to other factories within the supplier group or approved subcontractors.
• Brands should encourage suppliers to treat retrenchment as a last resort. [If it] cannot be avoided, brands [and] suppliers … [should] ensure … legally mandated severance benefits.
• Brands should maintain … communication with suppliers and factories, about compliance with labor-related pandemic government … requirements.
• Brands should work with … suppliers to identify existing financial support provided by local authorities…
• Brands should ensure that workers have access to grievance mechanisms…
• … [B]rands should assist suppliers in providing re-employment assistance to retrenched workers.
• As … workers are re-hired, brands should work with suppliers to ensure a worker’s seniority is recognized...

Additional Opportunities to Act Responsibly

• If a brand curtails operations or purchasing, brand staff may support and facilitate the transition of factories to other buyers by sharing audits…
• … [B]rands should provide emergency financial assistance to workers and suppliers…
• ...We urge buyers to assist facilities with... transitions [to PPE production]....