The continuing globalization of labor markets demands that employees be sent across borders on their employers' behalf. This transnational movement of employees raises a host of legal and practical issues that, depending on the potential risks present in the country where the employee will be based, may vary dramatically. The potential dangers—natural disasters, kidnapping, terrorist attacks—are wide-ranging, but the key inquiries remain constant: to what extent did the employer have a legal or ethical obligation to prevent what occurred, and could the employer have prevented what occurred by implementing a thoughtful plan. This Littler Report examines both the legal and practical issues facing employers under U.S. law, and in a sampling of other jurisdictions, and outlines a series of practical steps that employers can and should take to mitigate the risks inherent in having employees on international assignments. While there may be no way to absolutely prevent incidents of this nature, there is no substitute for effectively planning for the contingencies that may arise in international assignments.

To read the Littler Report, please click here.