Employer Pays Matrix
Step-by-step guidance to implement the Employer Pays Principle
The Employer Pays Principle is one of the foundational elements of ethical recruitment. It requires employers to cover all recruitment fees and related costs, helping protect workers from debt and the risk of debt bondage.
Build a clear pathway towards Employer Pays
Verité’s interactive Employer Pays Matrix helps companies benchmark their current ethical recruitment policies and practices and identify priority areas for action. Download the Matrix and update it over time to track progress toward your human rights commitments and the goal of zero recruitment fees for workers.
How to use the Employer Pays Matrix
Pinpoints strengths, gaps, and priority areas to focus effort where it matters most.
Measure progress using the EPP Matrix as a living document to track Employer Pays implementation
Benchmark your company against 12 core action areas and assess the maturity of each using a simple three-level scale
Identify gaps and lowest performing areas in your current ethical recruitment practices and prioritize next steps
Who will benefit from this tool?
A multipurpose tool that helps diverse stakeholders make more informed decisions.
Buyers and investors
- Integrate ethical recruitment requirements into contracts with suppliers and labor providers to cover the full operational and service costs of responsible recruitment, ensuring that suppliers can operate profitably without passing costs on to workers.
- Collaborate in reviewing audit reports and recruitment fee investigations to identify areas for improvement and strengthen transparency across your operations and extended supply chains.
- Equip supply chain partners with tools and guidance to implement the Employer Pays Principle and align with industry and international standards.
- Foster open dialogue among agents, suppliers, and buyers about the true cost of recruitment and how it should be shared fairly across supply chain actors.
- Apply Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) to map, monitor, and mitigate risks, cascading both worker protections and ethical obligations to lower-tier suppliers.
Employers and suppliers
- Establish clear service agreements with labor recruiters that include itemized, transparent lists of all recruitment-related fees and costs, specifying those that employers must cover and those workers are prohibited from paying.
- Review and verify invoices and receipts from recruiters to confirm accuracy and legitimacy before making payments.
- Track and validate worker receipts for any reimbursable expenses, particularly in countries of origin where direct employer payment is not possible.
- Highlight the value of ethical employment practices, emphasizing how responsible recruitment protects brands, strengthens reputations, and ensures compliance with legal standards.
- Negotiate fair premiums that reflect the cost of ethical recruitment, ensuring these costs are recognized and included in commercial contracts between growers, brands, and retailers.
Recruitment agents and labor providers
- Negotiate fair and transparent professional service fees by demonstrating the added value of ethical recruitment in protecting client brands and ensuring compliance with international standards.
- Use the RCC to demonstrate realistic market rates for legitimate recruitment services, building credibility and trust with clients.
- Provide transparency on “first-mile” costs, such as those incurred during applicant pooling and selection in countries of origin, which are often overlooked by employers.
- Promote visibility and integrity by clearly communicating what ethical recruitment practices look like and how they benefit all parties involved.
Civil society, worker organizations, and policy advocates
- Inform, educate, and empower workers and prospective migrants to recognize and avoid risks of debt bondage or forced labor during recruitment, strengthening their resilience and decision-making capacity.
- Support advocacy and awareness campaigns that advance ethical recruitment standards — including the Employer Pays Principle — and encourage their integration into national policy, industry frameworks, and procurement standards.
- Collaborate with business and government partners to promote transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in recruitment systems.
Book a free consultation for personalized ethical recruitment guidance for your company
Georgina Vázquez De Los Reyes
Lead, Stakeholder Engagement and Technical Assistance
Contact Georgina