Record fines from the Labor Inspectorate: almost €50 million in fines in Catalonia

BarcelonaThe Catalan Labor Inspectorate exceeded all its records in 2024 and broke a record for the amount of fines imposed on companies. A total of €49.4 million in fines was imposed, an increase of 7.7%, for the 13,265 violations committed throughout last year. This was explained by its general director, Laura Freixas, in her assessment of the actions of the body that oversees compliance with labor regulations. As many as 5,341 companies received one of the 11,786 complaints received by the Inspectorate.

The main cause of these rights violations was non-compliance with working time regulations, such as the lack of systems for recording working hours, the failure to provide staff breaks, or excessive overtime. Of the total number of violations, 2,339 were related to this issue, an increase of 7% compared to 2023. The second most common category relates to work permits, where 1,378 violations were detected. "This area has increased significantly due to coordination with law enforcement agencies, who are on the ground to conduct on-site inspections and direct their actions more toward where irregularities have been detected," explains Freixa.

This collaboration refers to, for example, in 24-hour supermarket inspections in which they have worked together with the Guardia Urbana (Urban Police). Beyond commerce, these joint actions with the police—which have increased by 82%—have also occurred in the construction, transportation, and hospitality sectors. This also explains the 35% increase in violations against companies with foreign employees without work permits, reaching 1,453.

Another area of concern for the Labor Inspectorate is fraudulent hiring practices: during 2024, 7,368 contracts were transformed, including cases in which temporary workers had already exceeded the maximum authorized periods. Freixas emphasizes that the agency also wants to focus more on contract terminations during the probationary period, to verify whether they have been used to avoid making a worker permanent. Similarly, its priority focus is on all issues related to equality, as only 61 complaints were registered for reasons such as gender discrimination or sexual harassment.

One inspector for every 10,000 workers

It should be noted that the Catalan Labor Inspectorate does not have all the jurisdiction in this area in our territory. the delivery men of the platforms They should be considered falsely self-employed or salaried workers. The Generalitat's force has 191 employees, of which 123 are inspectors, and will add six new personnel this year. Added to these are the 116 State inspectors and sub-inspectors working in the Principality. "The more staff we have, the more work centers we will reach," admits Freixas. The need to increase staff has always been the main demand of the so-called labor policeIn fact, its director general acknowledges that the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates the optimal ratio at one inspector for every 7,000 workers. According to her calculations, Catalonia now has one inspector for every 10,000 employees, still far from the ideal ratio.

The Inspectorate will also have to adapt increasingly to the technological changes affecting the world of work. The agreement to reduce working hours, which must still be approved by the Congress of Deputies, includes a reinforcement of the mandatory time recording system, allowing this organization to connect remotely and in real time. However, to make this possible, it is essential to make new investments in its IT tools, which, for now, have not arrived. "We are working with a team in Madrid to analyze it," Freixas points out.