Illegal employment: After raid on the construction: Klingbeil wants to tighten law

In a nationwide raid on construction sites, the customs have determined a variety of possible minimum wage violations and other offenses. On Monday, a total of 2800 customs officers of all main customs offices in Germany had moved out and asked more than 8,000 construction workers and other employees – for example in Berlin, Munich and Cologne. Now the General Collection presented an interim result of the reviews: The investigators initiated around 300 criminal and 400 administrative offense procedures on site. Business documents were also checked.

It was often about construction workers having no residence permit – so they shouldn’t have been on the construction sites. After the raid and after evaluating documents, the customs also found 1,800 further violations.

In 260 cases, the information was about the withholding of social security contributions and that the minimum wage was not even paid – according to a customs spokesman, some construction workers may only have received “a few euros” there. There, the customs had found six men from Kosovo and Belarus who shouldn’t have been there.

Klingbeil announces amendment to the law

Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD), whose ministry is subject to customs, spoke of “consistent use against undeclared work and illegal employment on the construction”. “We will further tighten the gait against those who enrich themselves at the expense of all enriches,” said the Social Democrat. Those who work or let work are neither pay for taxes nor social security contributions.

“We want to further intensify the investigation and reveal more.” He wanted to quickly improve the legal framework for the fight against undeclared work and illegal employment. “To do this, I will submit a draft law before the summer break.”