The term 'civic enforcement' stands for a mechanism for labour law enforcement, which is independent from the court or state enforcement mechanism. As a result of the state's political decision to de-prioritise labour law enforcement, reflected in the small number of inspectors, and in their assignment to persecuting migrant workers rather than to enforcing worker rights, Kav LaOved decided to resort to exposing employers who violate labour law to their communities and clients. Civic enforcement is also an empowerment tool for workers, consumers, and social activists attempting to insure that basic human and worker rights are kept, and that the labour market is based on accountability and fairness. Throughout 2003 Kav LaOved has conducted the following activities as part of this project:

Letters and Appeals to Employers or to Government Officials: Letters are regularly sent to delinquent employers requesting due payment to workers. Government officials are contacted in order to take administrative, financial or legal steps against convicted delinquent employers. For example, in the case of U. Dori Construction Company appeals were sent to the Ministry of Defence, regarding a tender won by the company for trucks, and to the Ministry of Labour, regarding worker permits issued for the company.

Internet Publications: Kav LaOved's website is updated on a daily base, adding to the civic enforcement section an ongoing list of names of employers who violated labour law. The employers listed are those who agreed to pay their workers only after they were taken to court. Among these employers are big enterprises companies (in the fields of construction, industry, trade and services), as well private agriculture farms and household employers. The list also contains names of employers who confiscated passports of migrant workers, and employers whose salary cheques bounced. During 2003 Kav LaOved published the names of over 90 delinquent employers.

Cooperation with credit rating companies: Kav LaOved receives reports from workers on violation of labour rights in their work places. This information is sometimes indicative of financial difficulties, and is therefore interesting for credit rating and risk assessment enterprises. This reality led to cooperation between Kav LaOved and leading credit rating company D&B. This exchange of information serves as a deterrent against employers, who violate worker rights. In December 2003 we added an 'enforcer' feature to our website, which allows workers to report labour rights violations with or without disclosing their identity. Anonymity may be important to prevent employer retaliation. Kav LaOved volunteers verify the online complaints, offer assistance to workers, and forward the information to credit rating companies. The initiative was recently published in the "Yediot Akhronot" daily newspaper, and as a result over 100 workers have made use of this new feature within less than one month.

International Appeals: Kav LaOved writes to international companies and institutions regarding Israeli companies trading abroad. Kav LaOved informs these international organs regarding the Israeli company's history in violating labour law. For example, Marks and Spencer's, who buy Israeli agricultural produce, were notified as to the trafficking of migrant agricultural workers in Israel.

Direct Action: The last resort in helping workers is direct action. Kav LaOved has resorted to 3 kinds of direct action during 2003:

1) Demonstrations in front of businesses, workplaces and private residences of employers who violated workers rights. Examples include "Vital" Cafe in Tel-Aviv, "Nirvana" Hotel near the Dead Sea, and the home of Avi Philosof, chairman of "Haifa Chemicals".

2) Distribution of newsletters describing cases of workers rights violations by an employer in the neighbourhood of that employer. For example, an article regarding Uriel Linn, the owner of a big placement agency and the president of the Israeli chambers of commerce, describing violations of worker rights in his company, was distributed near his home in Tel Aviv.

3) Escorting an unpaid worker to the employer's home, in the presence of the employer's family and friends, and demanding him to pay the salary..