Posted on 03/03/2014 12:00:35 PM PST by lafroste
I have run into an unusual situation. I have struck up a friendship with a philipina woman. However she is "employed" as a nanny by a couple from the UAE and is in Baltimore at the moment. The employers have confiscated her passport, work her 7 days a week with no days off or vacations. And pay her a nominal $9.00 per hour except they "hold" the money for her which amounts to $400.00 per week. (I haven't figured out the math on that one yet, since she is technically "on the job" 24 hours a day). What are her legal rights in this situation? What steps can I take to free her from this draconian servitude. Any advice is welcome.
I hope you meant Lee Child’s literary 6’5” Jack Reacher, and not Tom Cruise’s cinematic 5’7” Jack Reacher. Even sarcasm has its limits.
You can give her the advice that others have given you here but I bet she will do not a thing about it! SHe may be your friend but she may also be expecting you to get her out of this whole mess - i’ts a mess of her own making and hse needs to take steps to free herself from it!
You are so right sir.
“RUN DO NOT WALK to the NEAREST EXIT on this! Filipinos(females) are MOSTLY PSHYCO! Ask ANY WESTPAC Navy or Marine they will tell you! AVOID this at ALL Costs!”
I’ll have to say that’s been my experience, though fortunately it’s been an indirect experience via people I know who’ve become involved with these women.
marry her
It may be true. It may not be true. Call FBI, count your losses and walk away.
“Hmmm, maybe Dexter Morgan, Michael Westen or Jack Reacher could investigate “
I think Dexter retired to become a logger or something like that.
Well, that would certainly flush her out, wouldn’t it?
It’s not that they are rich it’s what they do with all the US aid they get.
You need to find out more info.
“However she is “employed” as a nanny by a couple from the UAE and is in Baltimore at the moment. The employers have confiscated her passport”
Was she working for them at the UAE and they brought her with them from there? Or did she start working for them in the US? Why did she give them her passport in the first place? What is the country of her passport — is it the UAE perhaps? How did she come to work for these people?
Is she willing and/or can she walk away? If she was brought here and treated as a virtual slave, maybe she can ask for asylum in the US — you would need to inquire at the US immigration service, but without getting her into trouble.
You need to make sure she wants your help, before you might make things worse for her, with all your good intentions...
Good luck.
X2.
The deal with the Passport makes it a Federal kidnapping case. FBI the thing and be done with it. You have got to do your civic duty and then clear the heck out.
“find and talk to an immigration attorney
a good one should know how far her “rights” go
and how far authorities here can and cannot go”
An excellent advice — the best!
But you should find out more about her situation, the more info you can give to the attorney, the better he can advise you.
Any advice is welcome.....Run away. She is probably married in the PI, anyway.
If you choose to ignore this advice be very careful.
Snort. All caps nice touch.
I struck up a frienship with a Philipina woman once. Actually three times.
Recommended viewing:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0188453/
Not exactly the same but I hope you see the light.
Call the police for kidnapping.
Call the FBI for theft of a passport and for violation of 13th amendment laws pertaining to involuntary servitude.
Call the labor department for illegal wage withholding.
Call the IRS for tax evasion since they no doubt do not pay the mandated Social Security and Medicare taxes or afford her the opportunity to pay W-4 taxes and most likely do not file a W2 or 1099 every year for her.
Call the Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance Division for failing to withhold and pay unemployment insurance taxes.
Call the Department of Labor and file a labor dispute for failing to pay overtime and failing to afford her the mandated breaks.
Sue in State district court for massive back pay and fines.
Sue in federal court for violations of civil rights, theft of property, and involuntary servitude.
Heck, this is just off the top of my head.
You got that right Brother!!!
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