Illegal employees: Customs inspects 23 cleaning companies
As part of a nationwide inspection campaign in the building cleaning industry, officials from the main customs office in Kiel have found 16 people in Lübeck without valid residence permits or work permits. In three cases, it is suspected that EU identity documents were forged, the main customs office announced on Friday. In five other cases, employees may not have received the minimum wage.
The passports of the 16 people staying in Germany illegally were revoked. Criminal proceedings were initiated against them and their employers. In total, 76 customs officers checked 23 employers and 150 employees in shopping centers, hotels and on liners in Lübeck and Kiel. According to customs, hardly any complaints were found in Kiel.
"We inspected one of the hotels in Lübeck three times within a year and found cleaning staff who were staying in Germany without authorization during each inspection," said the head of the main customs office in Kiel, Robert Dütsch, according to a statement. "However, the hotel knew nothing about this. The workers came from a subcontractor."
The discovery of illegal workers in the cleaning industry has raised concerns about the labor market, as these individuals often take jobs that legal workers might otherwise obtain. The ongoing labor shortage in certain sectors, coupled with the desire for cheap labor, can lead to an increase in migration for work purposes, which can potentially exploit the labor market.
Source: www.dpa.com
