site.bta107,726 Labour Violations Found in January-June

The General Labour Inspectorate carried out 24,358 inspections in the first six months of the year in 21,662 enterprises with 960,136 employees, the Inspectorate said on Wednesday. These inspections found 107, 726 violations of labour legislation were found. Violations related to the provisions regulating labour relations amounted to 49 468. 57 664 infringements were found in relation to occupational health and safety.

There were 1,614 cases of work without an employment contract, compared with 1,818 in the same period of the previous year, which is an indicator of the reduction of undeclared work in its most severe form. This is due both to the increased overall control in recent years, with an emphasis on the reduction of undeclared work, as well as to the rapid control checks launched since the beginning of the year, aimed at the lawful establishment of employment relationships, which are carried out in establishments at risk of unregulated use of labour.

The amount of back wages totalled BGN 4.9 million. After the intervention of the Labour Inspectorate almost BGN 3.4 million were paid.

In the first half of 2024, 4,741 acts of violations were issued.

In order to ensure to the fullest extent the life and health of the workers, 385 sites, machinery and equipment were suspended. This measure is used to prevent serious occupational accidents and in some cases results in saving lives. In the inspections carried out in the first half of 2024, labour inspectors suspended 71 workers for lack of legal capacity and/or non-compliance with safe work rules.

The number of work permits granted to minors was 7,594. In the same period last year the number was 6,195.