[Excerpt] This report examines the labor laws and practices of the Republic of Panama (Panama). It responds to the requirement of the Trade Act of 2002 that the President provide a “meaningful labor rights report” concerning each country with which a free trade agreement is under consideration. It focuses on those labor rights identified as internationally recognized labor rights in Chapter 16 of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (Panama TPA). Panama’s legal and administrative frameworks for protecting internationally recognized labor rights are presented in Section Two of this report. In addition to an overview of relevant laws, the section summarizes the adjudicative, administrative, and consultative mechanisms available for application and enforcement of labor laws.