The State seeks higher fines for workplace violations
Greece plans to impose hefty fines – up to 29,000 euros – on employers guilty of work-related violations in a move designed to deter such behavior and ensure better protection for employees. Deputy Labor Minister Lefteris Tziolas told Kathimerini English Edition that the ministry is considering increasing the level of fines by 300 to 600 percent shortly. «We are looking into raising the penalties, with the minimum fine to be set at around 880 euros and the maximum at 29,300 euros,» he said. Fines currently range from 146 euros to 8,800 euros, a level of sanctions acknowledged to have little impact on errant companies, he said. Tziolas said the new deterrents are expected to come into force this summer. The labor inspectorate (SEPE) under the ministry levied a total of 2.89 million euros in fines last year against companies for a number of work-related offences, Labor Minister Dimitris Reppas said during the presentation of the labor inspectorate’s 2001 annual report. He said the sharp jump in the value of fines and other sanctions taken against delinquent companies pointed to the improvements in the labor market. «An increasing number of companies are observing the rules and regulations, while workers are also taking action for their own protection,» he said. He pointed out that companies were also deterred by the ministry’s willingness to impose fines for violations. SEPE’s social department carried out checks on more than 31,000 companies last year, 71 percent more firms than in 2000. Following this, they pressed charges against 2,599 firms and levied fines on 2,927, marking increases of 30 percent and 326 percent respectively from the previous year. Fines amounted to a hefty 2.35 million euros. Underlining its stringent policy, the technical and hygiene division imposed a total of 552,457 euros against 2,247 errant companies last year following inspections of 40,327 firms. Nearly half of the violations were in the construction sector, currently experiencing a boom on the back of Olympic Games projects and infrastructure works connected to the Third Community Support Framework. The spate of construction projects, however, has also increased the risks for workers, with 17.7 percent of the 5,155 accidents reported last year coming from this sector. Of the 188 deaths recorded, 46 percent of the victims worked in the construction trade. Reppas said SEPE had also played a significant role last year in helping employers and employees reconcile their differences. It managed to resolve 53.8 percent of the 15,097 cases brought to its attention. He said SEPE is planning to expand its jurisdiction to the agricultural sector in line with similar moves in other EU countries, with Brussels financing the move. It recently launched a publicity campaign for informing farmers of their rights.
