Vienna (OTS) – On June 18, 2024, the financial police in the Anti-Fraud Office carried out checks on external staff at seven Vienna hotels. At the inspection locations with 96 people checked, there were 23 violations of a wide variety of laws, which led to fines totaling 68,000 euros and the immediate collection of more than 43,000 euros in tax arrears. 77 emergency services were involved in the operation, including employees from the payroll tax and contributions audit service, the police and the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum.
“The cross-agency priority operations are an important component in our fight against undeclared work. In this way, we are vehemently combating tax and duty fraud. With this operation, the financial police have prevented further damage and will continue to take targeted action against such criminal acts in the future,” said Finance Minister Magnus Brunner.
Since external personnel are often deployed in the cleaning and service areas, the financial police’s main operation also took place there. 23 violations of the Employment of Foreigners Act, the General Social Security Act, the Wage and Social Dumping Prevention Act and the Working Hours Act were found among 96 foreign employees in the seven hotels audited. This indicates that one in four employees of the controlled external personnel is employed illegally.
“The focus checks in the hotel cleaning sector will be continued by the financial police to protect legal providers and will be intensified if necessary,” emphasizes Wilfried Lehner, head of the financial police.
In a hotel in Vienna’s 7th district, the audacity of the other companies was once again exceeded by a subcontractor. Half of the ten cleaning workers encountered were employed illegally in Austria. In addition, 4 arrests were made on site by the security authorities for illegal stay in the federal territory. In another hotel, the passports of 3 foreign employees were collected. Due to these violations, the financial police requested a total of 68,000 euros in penalties. In addition, 43,000 euros in enforceable tax arrears were immediately collected. The successful focus action is now leading to further investigations against the subcontractors encountered.
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