Nicosia, Cyprus. Labour inspectors issued €28,500 in fines in March after identifying 12 undeclared workers during checks on cleaning, security and office businesses, the labour ministry said on Friday.
Nationwide inspection campaign
The inspection service carried out 227 checks nationwide as part of a campaign targeting undeclared employment and breaches of labour legislation.
Cleaning and security sector findings
A total of 104 inspections were conducted at cleaning and security companies, where 189 employees were checked. Inspectors identified eight undeclared workers and issued six fines amounting to €18,500.
The ministry said the workforce in the sector included 112 Greek Cypriots, 46 EU nationals and 31 third-country nationals.
Office and service business findings
Another 123 inspections were carried out at offices and service businesses involving 578 employees. Four undeclared workers were found, leading to four fines totalling €10,000.
Penalties for undeclared employment
The campaign aimed to raise awareness about the risks of undeclared work and the need to follow employment laws, according to the ministry.
Employers currently face a €1,000 fine for each undeclared worker detected in a month, plus an extra €500 for every six months of non-compliance. Repeat offences within two years incur higher penalties of €2,000 or €3,000 per worker, depending on the number of violations.
How do the current penalties affect your view of the risks of undeclared work?
