Duty of Care
What is Duty of Care?
An employer's legal and ethical obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of employees working abroad, including risk assessment, emergency support, and communication protocols.
Duty of care extends to all employees working outside their home country, whether on long-term assignments, short-term projects, or business travel. Employers are expected to assess risks related to political stability, health and safety, natural disasters, crime, and other threats in the host location.
A robust duty of care program includes pre-departure risk briefings, access to medical and security assistance, real-time travel tracking, emergency evacuation plans, and mental health support. Many organizations partner with specialized providers to deliver 24/7 assistance and crisis management.
Regulatory requirements for duty of care vary by jurisdiction, but the general expectation is that employers must take reasonable, proportionate steps to protect their workforce. Failure to do so can result in legal liability, reputational damage, and loss of employee trust.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is duty of care in global mobility?
Duty of care in global mobility is the legal and moral responsibility employers hold to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees working internationally or traveling for business. The obligation extends to assignees, their accompanying families, business travelers, and remote workers, covering risks from health emergencies to political instability and natural disasters.
How do employers fulfill their duty of care for mobile employees?
Employers fulfill duty of care through pre-travel risk assessment, location-specific safety briefings, emergency contact protocols, medical and security evacuation coverage, ongoing location tracking, and rapid response capabilities. Most enterprise programs partner with travel risk management providers and maintain real-time visibility into where employees are working across the globe.
Why does duty of care matter for global mobility programs?
Duty of care matters because employers face legal liability when employees are harmed during work-related travel or assignments, particularly if the employer failed to assess or mitigate known risks. Beyond legal exposure, strong duty of care programs protect talent, reduce assignment failure, and demonstrate organizational commitment to employee wellbeing in increasingly complex global conditions.
Who is responsible for duty of care?
Duty of care is shared across global mobility, HR, security, legal, risk management, and senior leadership. Mobility teams typically own assignee and traveler tracking. Security teams assess location risk and respond to incidents. Legal advises on jurisdictional obligations. Senior leadership ratifies the overall program. External providers deliver medical assistance, security evacuation, and 24-hour response capabilities.
Related Terms
Remote Work Policy
A company framework governing the conditions under which employees may work from locations outside their designated office, including international remote work arrangements and associated compliance obligations.
Mobility Program
The structured set of policies, processes, vendors, and technology an organization uses to manage employee moves and international assignments at scale.
Repatriation
The process of returning an employee to their home country following the completion of an international assignment, including career transition support, reverse culture adjustment, and logistical assistance.