Overview
- The Finance Ministry reports 25,765 employer inspections by the Customs unit in 2025, with roughly one in four uncovering suspected breaches of the Minimum Wage Act.
- Nearly 2,500 proceedings target hotels and restaurants, with more than 500 each in freight firms, construction, and hairdressing/cosmetics, plus numerous findings at taxi, beverage retail, and security companies.
- Frequent evasion methods include missing time records, unpaid overtime, unrealistic workloads, wage deductions for gear or clothing, and bogus self-employment.
- Checks cover only a fraction of the labor market affected by the 2025 increase to €13.90, and Left Party lawmaker Cem Ince cites surveys suggesting up to 2.5 million people may be underpaid.
- Ince urges more staff and wider inspections for the Customs unit, noting detection rates and volumes were similar to 2024; violations can carry fines of up to €500,000.