THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF PLACEMENT AGENCIES IN ENSURING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PROSPECTIVE INDONESIAN MIGRANT WORKERS: A CASE STUDY IN SRAGEN REGENCY

Abstract

Migrant workers from Sragen Regency are at a relatively high level of vulnerability to various health problems, whether physical, mental or reproductive, and face a range of risks related to occupational safety. These risks include workplace accidents, acts of violence, exploitative practices, and limited access to health services in the destination country. This vulnerability often arises during the pre-placement stage, particularly if placement agencies fail to conduct adequate health checks, provide sufficient orientation, and disseminate adequate information. The normative legal approach provides a framework for researchers to examine applicable legal provisions, including Law No. 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers and its implementing regulations governing the responsibilities and obligations of placement agencies. The results of the study show that the responsibilities of placement agencies in ensuring the health and safety of prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers in Sragen Regency are clearly regulated in Law Number 18 of 2017. However, at the implementation level, the fulfilment of these responsibilities has not been fully optimal, as there are still placement agencies that only fulfil their administrative obligations without comprehensive supervision of the quality of health and safety checks. This study also identified a number of obstacles faced by placement agencies in carrying out these responsibilities, including limited coordination with health care facilities, low levels of understanding among some prospective Indonesian migrant workers regarding the importance of health and safety aspects, and the pressure of placement targets, which resulted in limited time available for briefing activities.