The article analyzes the vulnerability of labor migrants from Bulgaria to traffickers and exploiters. Based on in-depth interviews with victims and experts in the field of human trafficking, the authors identify the main factors for falling into trafficking and the methods of recruiting and exploiting victims. The article answers the question as to why this phenomenon remains so persistent over time. A worrisome trend has been observed where victims perceive exploitation as a regular aspect of their employment abroad. The authors point out that reducing migrants’ vulnerability largely depends on the broader national socioeconomic context, global inequalities, and the demand for cheap labor.
Keywords: migration, human trafficking, labor exploitation, inequalities, Bulgaria

The article analyzes the vulnerability of labor migrants from Bulgaria to traffickers and exploiters. Based on in-depth interviews with victims and experts in the field of human trafficking, the authors identify the main factors for falling into trafficking and the methods of recruiting and exploiting victims. The article answers the question as to why this phenomenon remains so persistent over time. A worrisome trend has been observed where victims perceive exploitation as a regular aspect of their employment abroad. The authors point out that reducing migrants’ vulnerability largely depends on the broader national socioeconomic context, global inequalities, and the demand for cheap labor.
Keywords: migration, human trafficking, labor exploitation, inequalities, Bulgaria

The article compares the views of two of Cleveland’s most prominent Slovenians, Tony Petkovšek and Vinko Lipovec, on the development and changes in the largest Slovenian emigrant community between 1950 and 2015, and how they see the community’s future. Both Petkovšek and Lipovec were respectable cultural workers who enjoyed a great reputation in the wider community and respected each other. The former was the descendant of economic emigrants who arrived before World War I, while the latter was a political refugee from after World War II. The author notes that their views on most topics are quite similar, although Petkovšek attributes greater importance for the community to polka music, while Lipovec emphasizes the importance of language. For the future, both expect the community’s survival, despite its decline.
Keywords: Slovenian community in Cleveland, Tony Petkovšek, Vinko Lipovec, changes in the community 1950–2015, prospects for the future

The article compares the views of two of Cleveland’s most prominent Slovenians, Tony Petkovšek and Vinko Lipovec, on the development and changes in the largest Slovenian emigrant community between 1950 and 2015, and how they see the community’s future. Both Petkovšek and Lipovec were respectable cultural workers who enjoyed a great reputation in the wider community and respected each other. The former was the descendant of economic emigrants who arrived before World War I, while the latter was a political refugee from after World War II. The author notes that their views on most topics are quite similar, although Petkovšek attributes greater importance for the community to polka music, while Lipovec emphasizes the importance of language. For the future, both expect the community’s survival, despite its decline.
Keywords: Slovenian community in Cleveland, Tony Petkovšek, Vinko Lipovec, changes in the community 1950–2015, prospects for the future

In recent years, it has been observed that workers who are being posted to provide services in the EU Member States are not only EU nationals but also third-country nationals (TCNs). The overlap of migration, employment regimes, and cross-border mobility has been particularly notable in specific labor-intensive sectors in Slovenia, such as construction, where the overall share of posted TCNs has reached over 43%. The challenges and needs of the posting companies in accessing and using relevant information regarding the posting of TCNs that may be subject to additional country-specific conditions and regulations are manifold. The problem is exacerbated further when company owners are TCNs themselves. The article gives an overview of the challenges of the employers and TCN-posted workers in terms of their access and use of information on the posting of workers, focusing mainly on the impediments due to language barriers.
Keywords: posting of workers, third-country nationals, access to information, Slovenia

In recent years, it has been observed that workers who are being posted to provide services in the EU Member States are not only EU nationals but also third-country nationals (TCNs). The overlap of migration, employment regimes, and cross-border mobility has been particularly notable in specific labor-intensive sectors in Slovenia, such as construction, where the overall share of posted TCNs has reached over 43%. The challenges and needs of the posting companies in accessing and using relevant information regarding the posting of TCNs that may be subject to additional country-specific conditions and regulations are manifold. The problem is exacerbated further when company owners are TCNs themselves. The article gives an overview of the challenges of the employers and TCN-posted workers in terms of their access and use of information on the posting of workers, focusing mainly on the impediments due to language barriers.
Keywords: posting of workers, third-country nationals, access to information, Slovenia

In this article, the authors examine information provision, access to rules on posting, and rule compliance by companies from the perspective of information providers and users. Using a mixed-method approach, they first study the role of access to information for rule compliance in the posting of workers in Austria and then discuss company-level factors that may mitigate this relationship. The analysis is based on an original dataset of 36 mapped information channels available in Austria, 10 interviews with information providers, and the results of a new company survey conducted in Austria with 26 respondents from individual construction companies. The assessment of the channels of information, the practices of information providers, and the companies’ experiences, challenges, and needs provides a nuanced understanding of company behavior regarding rule compliance in the posting of workers. The findings reveal a potentially important link between the access to and use of information on the rules about the posting of workers as a relevant factor in rule compliance, which is recognized by both the supply side and the demand side.
Keywords: posting of workers, construction companies, rule compliance, access to information, Austria

In this article, the authors examine information provision, access to rules on posting, and rule compliance by companies from the perspective of information providers and users. Using a mixed-method approach, they first study the role of access to information for rule compliance in the posting of workers in Austria and then discuss company-level factors that may mitigate this relationship. The analysis is based on an original dataset of 36 mapped information channels available in Austria, 10 interviews with information providers, and the results of a new company survey conducted in Austria with 26 respondents from individual construction companies. The assessment of the channels of information, the practices of information providers, and the companies’ experiences, challenges, and needs provides a nuanced understanding of company behavior regarding rule compliance in the posting of workers. The findings reveal a potentially important link between the access to and use of information on the rules about the posting of workers as a relevant factor in rule compliance, which is recognized by both the supply side and the demand side.
Keywords: posting of workers, construction companies, rule compliance, access to information, Austria

Despite being central to intra-EU posting, the service provider (“the posting company”) remains understudied by scholars. Aiming to close this gap, this study examines posting companies (incl. the self-employed) in Slovenia. By linking them to the Orbis database, an analysis of Slovenian companies that received one or more Portable Documents A1 in 2022 shows that 8% of construction and 4% of manufacturing companies provided services abroad, compared to less than 2% of all Slovenian companies. For these companies, posting employees abroad has become a “business model”, with an average of 61% of employees posted abroad and 93.5% of turnover earned from exporting goods or providing services abroad.
Keywords: Slovenia, freedom to provide services, posting companies, characteristics, business model

Despite being central to intra-EU posting, the service provider (“the posting company”) remains understudied by scholars. Aiming to close this gap, this study examines posting companies (incl. the self-employed) in Slovenia. By linking them to the Orbis database, an analysis of Slovenian companies that received one or more Portable Documents A1 in 2022 shows that 8% of construction and 4% of manufacturing companies provided services abroad, compared to less than 2% of all Slovenian companies. For these companies, posting employees abroad has become a “business model”, with an average of 61% of employees posted abroad and 93.5% of turnover earned from exporting goods or providing services abroad.
Keywords: Slovenia, freedom to provide services, posting companies, characteristics, business model