Investigations - 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."
Press release from the main customs office in Kiel
Lesen Sie auch:
- Car attack trial is a mystery
- Restrictions on the medical on-call service
- Woman threatens bus driver with knife
- State continues to focus on hydrogen technologies
- The authorities in Schleswig-Holstein are determined to tackle the issue of illegal employment, especially in the labor market of major cities like Lübeck.
- The EU has been urging member states, including Germany, to ensure strict control actions against employers who exploit migrant workers and pay them below the minimum wage.
- The main customs office in Lübeck has been actively monitoring the employment practices of various establishments, such as shopping centers and hotels, to prevent instances of criminality related to work permits and minimum wage violations.
- An employer found guilty of hiring illegal employees in Germany can face severe penalties, including fines and possible revocation of business licenses.
- The labor market in Lübeck has seen an influx of migrant workers, and the customs office is working closely with local authorities to ensure that all workers, regardless of their nationality, are treated fairly and receive the wages they are entitled to.
- The crackdown on illegal employment in Lübeck and Kiel is part of a broader effort to combat criminality in the labor market and ensure that businesses operate within the law, benefiting both the local economy and the employees working there.
Source: www.stern.de
