Customs controls in Schleswig-Holstein: Minimum wage violations uncovered!

Customs controls in Schleswig-Holstein: Minimum wage violations uncovered!

Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Deutschland - The main customs office in Kiel carried out a control to comply with the minimum wage in Schleswig-Holstein on Thursday. According to a report by kn-online.de 50 customs officers were involved in the financial control of undeclared work (FKS). As part of the control, almost 100 people were asked about their employment relationships.

The result of the campaign was alarming: five employees were illegally in Germany, while five more had no work permit. Furthermore, various administrative offenses were found due to violations of required immediate reports. Employers are obliged to inform health insurance companies about the start of employment subject to insurance. These immediate reports have been required to combat undeclared work in certain industries since the beginning of 2009. The controls took place not only in Kiel, but also in Lübeck and in the circles Plön, Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Ostholstein and Herzogtum-Lauenburg. Industries such as retail, hairdressing, construction, gastronomy, electrical trade, vehicle trade and fitness studios were particularly affected

nationwide initiatives against undeclared work

As reported on the customs website, the financial control of undeclared work (FKS) conducts a focus tests against undeclared work and illegal employment nationwide. This test has a special focus on compliance with the minimum wage, which has been 12.82 euros gross per hour since January 1, 2025. Over 3,000 customs employees are deployed nationwide to determine violations of the minimum wage conditions. These exams are carried out in various industries, including care and building cleaning, that have their own minimum wages.

Regarded violations of these missions, such as the incorrect name of employees or incomplete and missing hourly recordings. After completing the exams, extensive subsequent investigations in the companies concerned are required. Information from the employees surveyed play a decisive role in examining wage and financial accounting documents, such as Zoll.de reported.