HAGÅTÑA — The Guam Department of Labor’s Fair Employment Practice Division used last week’s fourth annual career fair at Oceanview Middle School to teach hundreds of students about their rights before they ever set foot in a workplace.
The event drew more than 25 agencies from local government, federal, private and nonprofit sectors, including military partners, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Agriculture, the Guam Fire Department, the Federal Aviation Administration and Victims Advocate for Reaching Out, among others.
Acting GDOL Director Gerard Toves said the division’s presence at school career fairs is intentional.
“While most of the presenters were focused on the kinds of careers students can explore in the future, we want to make sure we start educating them about their rights early, hoping to prevent discrimination, harassment, and other violations before they occur and ensure that young workers know where to turn if they need help,” Toves said.
Fair Employment Practice Division Administrator Jeffrey Sablan said the student response was encouraging.
“The students who stopped by our booth asked thoughtful questions about their rights when they enter the workforce in the future,” Sablan said. “Seeing so many young people engaged and interested in learning how to protect themselves in the workplace shows us that this kind of outreach is truly making a difference.”
GDOL staff covered fair hiring practices, age-appropriate work, safe working conditions, and protections against discrimination and retaliation at the event, along with how to report concerns and the role of the department in enforcing labor and employment laws.
The Fair Employment Practice Division said it plans to continue outreach to middle and high schools across Guam. For more information, contact the division at 671-300-4544 or 671-300-4612, or visit dol.guam.gov.
