VARESE – The Labor Inspectorate of Varese has significantly intensified its inspection activities in 2024, recording 931 inspections, nearly double the 483 conducted the previous year. This notable increase reflects a growing commitment to ensuring the legality within workplaces and combatting irregularities, which continue to persist across various sectors.
Out of the 931 inspections, 578 were dedicated to ordinary surveillance, and 353 to technical oversight, representing substantial growth from the previous year's totals of 382 and 101 respectively. This upward trend signifies the Inspectorate's intention to respond proactively to the increasing demand for worker protection and to monitor working conditions more thoroughly and efficiently.
Despite the fact these inspections have risen sharply, there’s positive news on the front of irregularities: the number detected has actually decreased. Notably, there were 524 irregularities found this year, accounting for 60.85% of the total inspections, down from 73.75% last year, indicating improved compliance with regulations among companies.
Nevertheless, the problem of irregular work remains. The Inspectorate identified 870 irregular workers this year, marking an increase of 58.46% from the 549 recorded last year. Among these irregular workers, 316 were working completely off the books, compared to 190 from 2023. Additional counts revealed 95 found through irregular contracts, 76 cases of job reclassifications, and 54 concerning violations of working hours. New developments included the identification of 51 cases within the transportation sector and, for the first time, 15 incidents linked to labor exploitation, also known as caporalato, which had not been reported previously.
Increasing attention to workplace safety is reflected by the significant uptick in preventive violations, with 611 checks conducted this year compared to just 255 last year. This focus underlines efforts to prevent workplace accidents and to establish safer environments for employees.
The Inspectorate also noted an increase in operational suspensions, from 78 in 2023 to 178 this year. Of these, 94 related directly to undeclared work, and 84 were due to safety concerns.
On the legal front, the number of individuals reported to judicial authorities rose to 250 this year, compared to 220 the previous year. Among these, 197 were charged for preventative violations, with the remaining 53 related to other breaches. The economic repercussions appear substantial, with more than 3 million euros of undeclared revenue recovered, representing a 174% increase from 1 million euros last year. Administrative penalties totaled 1,861,795 euros this year, compared to last year's 844,405 euros, and criminal sanctions reached 654,730 euros, skyrocketing from 264,203 euros from the previous year.
Director Alberto Gardina commented, "I dati del 2024 testimoniano un deciso rafforzamento dell’attività di vigilanza, grazie anche a una pianificazione più efficace e all’impegno costante del nostro personale." (The data from 2024 demonstrates a significant strengthening of inspection activities, also thanks to more effective planning and the constant effort of our personnel.) He emphasized the importance of their actions not only to detect irregularities but to promote the culture of legality and safety within the workplace.
Moving forward, the Labor Inspectorate of Varese renews its commitment to combat irregularities actively and encourages local companies to collaborate effectively to guarantee respectful adherence to current regulations. By working together, the shared goal remains clear: to secure fair and safe working conditions for all employees.