Anti-moonlighting drive deemed successful
The economics ministry says measures to combat illegal work have shown positive results one year after the tightening of the law.
A campaign to simplify administrative procedures for hiring low-pay employees and facilitate social security payments has also been considered successful.
More than 9,200 checks were carried out by cantonal work inspectors in all sectors of the economy across Switzerland last year.
The cantons imposed more than 1,320 sanctions, mostly fines, against people violating a new law that came into force in 2008, according to a report by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco).
About 35,000 people were examined, mostly in the building, catering as well as the temporary staffing sectors.
“Checks were often made based on suspicions and reports by third parties,” said Seco’s Peter Gasser on Monday.
However, it is not possible to draw detailed conclusions on how widespread moonlighting is in Switzerland.
Gasser added that it takes more time to assess the financial benefits of the checks. So far, fines of about SFr400,000 ($356,000) were paid mainly by companies for hiring people without work permits or failing to pay social security contributions.
Undeclared work activity costs the Swiss economy about SFr39 billion a year, according to the economics ministry.
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