Labour Exploitation Research Network (LERN)

LERN connects researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working on forced labour, human trafficking, and WRC. Our mission is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue, promote impactful research, and contribute to stronger policies to combat exploitation, particularly in the Nordic region.

Our Purpose

LERN aims to:

• Encourage Interdisciplinary Research, Advance Theoretical Development, and Methodological Tools: We bridge gaps across disciplines by facilitating joint projects and discussions to explore the multifaceted challenges of labour exploitation and WRC.
• Influence Policy Development: We collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to ensure that research findings translate into practical policy recommendations, shaping effective frameworks to combat exploitation.
• Foster Networks: As a central hub for experts, we bring together researchers, policymakers, and organizations committed to tackling the exploitation of vulnerable workers. Our seminars, workshops, and conferences provide platforms for knowledge sharing and dialogue.

Core Members

LERN’s strength comes from its core group of dedicated researchers, including:

• Synnøve Økland Jahnsen – Fafo
• Isabel Schoultz – Lund University
• Natalia Ollus – HEUNI
• Marlene Spanger – Aalborg University

Key Research Themes

Our research focuses on issues such as:

• Forced labour and human trafficking in the Nordic countries
• Migrant worker rights and protections
• Labour market vulnerabilities and exclusion
• Legal frameworks and enforcement in the labour market
• Economic exploitation and social dumping
• Comparative studies on WRC across borders

Highlighted Projects

LERN is associated with several key projects that contribute to understanding and combating labour exploitation:

• Provision and Labour Rights to Migrant Workers (PROMI): Focuses on preventing the exploitation of migrant workers by strengthening their labour rights.
• INTEGRATE: Aims to enhance integration policies across the Nordic countries to ensure fair treatment and labour rights for migrant workers.
• Law in Action – Policy and Legal Responses to the Exploitation of Migrant Workers: Investigates how legal frameworks and policies address migrant worker exploitation in the Nordic countries, offering recommendations for more effective responses.
• Safety for All: Focuses on extending safety and security measures to vulnerable groups, including migrant workers, within the Nordic region.
• Sector-Specific Risks to Migrant Workers: Identifies and addresses risks faced by migrant workers in high-risk sectors like construction, cleaning, and hospitality.
• Hankinta Suomi: Promotes responsible procurement practices in Finland to prevent exploitation within public sector supply chains.
• FLOW: Enhances cross-border collaboration and responses to labour exploitation, focusing on improving legal and practical protections for vulnerable workers.
• Responses to Labour Exploitation in Sweden: Explores Sweden’s legal and policy approaches to labour exploitation, providing insights for national-level interventions.
• Kartlegging av bosatte innvandrere med D-nummer: Maps immigrants in Norway with D-numbers, contributing to a deeper understanding of the vulnerabilities this group faces.