Catherwood LibraryILR School

In Afghanistan, Pentagon contractors have hired thousands of foreign workers from Nepal, the Philippines, and other countries to work service jobs like janitors and cafeteria workers on U.S. military bases. These workers were known as "third country nationals" (TCNs), and they were much more likely to be killed or injured in attacks from the Taliban due to the necessity and exposure of their jobs. According to a recent report released by Brown University, most of these foreign contract workers who were killed or injured likely received little or no compensation from the U.S. government. This violates the Defense Base Act, which requires Pentagon contractors to compensate employees for injuries and their families for deaths. The Department of Defense has responded to the research by emphasizing the strict regulations regarding foreign wokrers' compensation with war-hazards and stating that it has not been made aware of any instances of noncompliance.