Which of the following is a Freedom Red Flag indicator?

• A. An employee is living in unsanitary conditions provided by the employer
• B. An employee appears to have been coached on what to say to law-enforcement or other officials
• C. An employee’s family is threatened
• D. An employee is not paid for work

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is recognizing signs of coercive control that undermine a worker’s freedom. Being coached on what to say to law enforcement or other officials is the clearest red flag of such control. It shows that someone else is directing the worker’s responses and shielding them from truthful interaction with authorities, which is a hallmark of trafficking and forced labor situations. This coaching demonstrates a loss of autonomy and an attempt to prevent reporting or discovery.

Other indicators can signal exploitation or unsafe conditions—like being paid nothing or living in poor housing, or threats to a worker’s family—but they don’t as directly reveal the suppression of the person’s ability to communicate honestly with authorities.