Officials of the Estonian Labor Inspectorate took part in inspections by the Austrian Financial Police in the HORECA sector in a winter ski area in Upper Austria, Austria, on 31 January 2024. The joint inspection was supported and accompanied on site by the European Labour Authority. The aim of the joint inspection was to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the fight against undeclared work, illegal employment, social benefit fraud and minimum wage violations.

The officials checked the employment status of 13 employees from various EU and non-EU countries and one employer and verified the authenticity of the ID cards. According to the findings to date, there were no initial indications of possible violations. In the HORECA sector, recruiting and employment often takes place across borders. Due to this, ELA will have a special focus on that industry in 2024.

The inspections on site are just the beginning of more in-depth checks especially of the payrolls and financial accounting. These audits include the linking, comparison and analysis of various sources from which the type, scope, duration and remuneration level of employment relationships can be identified or determined. The cross-border cooperation of the enforcement authorities of the EU Member States with the support of ELA, helps to identify and investigate labour and social law violations.