Labour Inspection: Almost 45,000 checks in 2024 and over €26 million in fines

The Independent Labour Inspection Authority, inspections continue at an intensive pace and in a targeted manner, with the aim of ensuring the correct application of labour legislation, safeguarding labour rights, the safety and health of workers.

Based on the operational plan of the Labour Inspectorate, in addition to the quantitative increase of inspections, their qualitative upgrading is also extremely important, so that targeted interventions are carried out where phenomena of increased delinquency are observed.

Specifically, the inspections concern the prevention and tackling of irregularity both in the field of health and safety at work and in the field of labour relations, including the fight against undeclared work, in all sectors of economic activity, with priority being given to enterprises and sectors with a high risk of irregularity, to enterprises that have not been inspected in the last three years and to those that have been inspected and found to be offending, in order to control

In fact, according to the Labour Inspectorate, the efficiency of inspections is maximised by exploiting the possibilities offered by technology, through data analysis, the Digital Work Card, continuous connectivity, even at the time of carrying out inspections and the general digitalisation of procedures, but also by designing them on the basis of risk analysis.

Speaking to APE-MPE, the chief of the Independent Labour Inspection Authority, Giorgos Tzilivakis, says that the Labour Inspectorate continues at a high pace, focusing inspections where per period there is greater work intensity and where data from complaints, accumulated experience and data analysis indicate. “Our role is to protect workers and support businesses that operate lawfully. In this way, conditions in the labour market are improved, with a positive social impact,” he said.

Audits in the first seven months of 2024

As shown by the latest available data, from January to July 2024, 44,893 inspections were carried out, 9,946 penalties were imposed, while the total amount of fines amounted to 26,639,275 euros.

According to Labour Inspectorate sources, the total number of inspections this year is set to exceed the initial target of 67,700 inspections, but also last year’s annual record of 73,579 inspections. They estimate that at the rate audits are being conducted, they could exceed 76,000,

Specifically, in the first seven months of 2024, the Labour Relations Inspectorate conducted 24,511 inspections (7,024 sanctions imposed), 16,032 inspections were conducted by the Health & Safety Inspectorate, which imposed 2,306 sanctions, while 4,350 inspections were conducted by the Special Inspectors, who imposed 616 sanctions.

Regarding the field of industrial relations, the types of violations most frequently detected from January to July 2024 are the failure of the employer to comply with the obligation to post staff lists in a prominent place in the company (number of violations: 2,007), 1.129 infringements concerning the Digital Job Card, undeclared work (number of infringements: 717), non-payment of accrued wages, holiday bonuses and other remuneration (number of infringements: 620), refusal of entry and access, provision of data or information or provision of incorrect data (number of infringements: 565), etc.
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