I have been following this story regarding the largest human trafficking case in US history and read about Kauai Coffee Company being involved in the local paper.
I have to wonder if they could have hired local people as there is high unemployment here on the island.
Kauai Coffee is suing to get out of the liability.
http://thegardenisland.com/...
LIHU‘E — A labor-recruiting company at the heart of what the FBI calls the largest human-trafficking case in U.S. history has denied allegations of exploiting hundreds of workers imported from Thailand to work on farms on Kaua‘i, throughout the state and on the Mainland.
Kauai Coffee is claiming that Global Horizons Manpower, Inc. is the one who violated the workers civil rights. I am not sure I buy their explanation and think that there is some culpability on Kauai Coffee's part. How can you not know the workers were being exploited? Do they not have a responsibility to ensure the workers are lawfully being taken care of? I am not an attorney and maybe someone on Kos can add their expertise.
Kauai Coffee it seems has chosen not to do business with Global Horizons at this time.
Kaua‘i Coffee stopped contracting with Global Horizons after they were unable to comply with certain state law requirements regarding insurance, Howe said.
What I have not discovered is the actual reason that Kauai Coffee is involved other than they had the Thai workers. It looks like Maui Land and Pineapple Co. and Aloun Farms were also involved with mistreatment of the workers on Maui and Oahu.