– Valais inspected 573 companies against undeclared work
The number Of denunciations in 2023 linked to undeclared work and social assistance abuse has almost doubled. In total, 549 violations were detected.
Published today at 6:42 p.m.
The construction and hotel and catering sectors were those which were the most controlled in 2023. (illustrative photo)
KEYSTONE/Cyril Zingaro
In 2023, the Valais employment inspectorate inspected 573 companies, primarily in the construction and hotel and catering sectors. The number of denunciations to the Public Prosecutor’s Office has almost doubled compared to 2022.
According to the annual report of the Worker Protection and Labor Relations Service (SPT) published Monday, in 2023, out of the 573 companies inspected, 225 investigations were carried out due to a report to the SPT (compared to 175 in 2022). The other 348 were verified as part of spontaneous checks (514 in 2022).
In total, the SPT identified 549 offenses (several offenses may concern the same company) linked to undeclared work and abuse of social assistance. Of this number, 198 situations were reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (101 in 2022).
“By increasing the number of investigations linked to reports of bad practices, we were able to significantly increase the number of criminal denunciations. These investigations, although more time-consuming, are also more effective than spontaneous checks,” Nicolas Bolli, head of the SPT, explains to Keystone-ATS.
Colossal losses
According to the annual report, more than 1.2 billion turnover is not declared in Valais. “The direct consequences of undeclared work on employment, but also on the resulting losses in terms of taxes and social security contributions, are colossal.”
Undeclared work generates distortions of competition that are harmful to businesses and the working conditions and wages of workers, continues the SPT.
Ski lifts
The SPT also carried out checks on 224 Swiss companies (1,942 employees). Among these are eight ski lift companies.
Controls in the sector, which in 2023 adopted a standard employment contract providing for minimum wages, after revelations of wage dumping, are not finished: “in 2024, we will continue to ensure that all companies in the sector respect these minimums,” warns Nicolas Bolli.
According to the information available to him, “the standard contract appears to be well respected. The support of professional associations in the sector, as well as the need to respect current wages in order to obtain public aid, favors its implementation.
The e-badge on the right track
The e-badge project, which has been under discussion for several years, is well underway. “The IT company that will be responsible for developing this solution has been chosen. The objective is for the e-badge to be operational on January 1, 2025,” notes Nicolas Bolli, who speaks of “a colossal amount of work for his department, but amply necessary to protect the workers.”
This system will make it possible to verify almost in real time that the employer contributes to social insurance, that its workers have a work permit where applicable and that their salary and working conditions are adequate.
ATS
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