Customs checks minimum wage in Osnabrück: 14 penalties for undeclared work!

Customs checks minimum wage in Osnabrück: 14 penalties for undeclared work!

On October 17, 2024, the main customs office Osnabrück carried out extensive controls of the minimum wage regulation as part of a cross -border initiative. This campaign was part of a larger project by the European Labor Authority (ELA), in which 21 Member States took part in fighting undeclared work. A focus was on cross -border cases and compliance with the legal framework for employees.

74 customs officers were active in the Osnabrück region. They interviewed 249 people on their employment relationships. During the controls, the officials found that fourteen foreign employees could not show any valid work permits, which led to the initiation of criminal proceedings on suspicion of illegal stay. The responsible immigration office will now decide on the further legal steps.

results of the controls

The investigators also discovered numerous other legal discrepancies in addition to the lack of work permits. In 14 cases, there were indications that the companies did not pay the statutory minimum wage. This throws a serious light on compliance with the work standards in the region. A particularly striking case relates to social service fraud, which illustrates the dimension of these legal challenges.

In addition, there were suspicions of violations of social security reporting requirements in 22 cases. In some cases, the employment of foreigners without the necessary approval or the existence of bogus self -employment was suspected. These discoveries underline the complexity of the problems in the area of labor law and the need for stricter controls.

According to the exams carried out, the main customs office of Osnabrück plans to compensate for the data collected with the wage and financial bookkeeping of the companies concerned. This is supported by a close exchange with other authorities such as the tax office or the pension insurance provider. Such test results usually lead to sanctions, which are often only implemented after detailed post -processing.

An important background is the Minimum wage law (Milog), which has been in Germany since January 1, 2015. The minimum wage has been gradually increased since its introduction. It has currently been 12.41 euros gross per hour since January 1, 2024. This constant adaptation reflects the attempt to strengthen employee rights and to ensure fair working conditions.

The recent controls of the main customs office show the seriousness of the problem and the determination of the authorities to act against illegal labor practices. The continuation of these measures could be crucial for future development in the field of labor market regulation in Germany. Further information is available here .