Dortmund Customs Find Wage, Employment, and Benefit Fraud in Hotel and Gastronomy Sector
Customs authorities in Dortmund have uncovered numerous violations in the hotel and gastronomy sector following inspections on September 19, 2022. The Hauptzollverwaltung Dortmund found indications of illegal employment of foreigners in 6 cases, suspicion of minimum wage law violations in 29 cases, and potential social security fraud in 17 cases.
The inspections, conducted by the Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit (FKS) of the Dortmund Customs Office, targeted 24 businesses. A total of 252 employees were questioned about their employment relationships, and 24 business records inspections were carried out.
The FKS, which focuses on combating illegal work in the hotel and catering industry, found various irregularities. These included suspicion of contribution evasion in 30 cases and indications of benefit fraud in 17 cases. The inspections were followed by extensive follow-up inspections to verify employee data with payroll and financial accounting of the companies.
The Hauptzollverwaltung Dortmund deployed 84 FKS employees for the inspections, which were part of a nationwide effort to ensure compliance with the Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG) and social security obligations. The inspections also aimed to detect improper receipt of social security benefits and illegal employment. The findings highlight the importance of such inspections in maintaining a fair and legal work environment.
