Austrian Financial Police crack down on hotel cleaning industry

The Austrian Financial Police conducted large-scale inspections within the hotel cleaning industry across five federal states: Vienna, Tyrol, Upper Austria, Carinthia, and Styria. The operation, which took place on September 30, involved 119 officers inspecting 28 businesses and 128 employees.

Authorities identified 39 violations in total. These included 26 infractions of the Working Hours Act, seven violations of the General Social Insurance Act, five breaches of the Foreign Employment Act, and one violation of the Social Fraud Combatting Act.

During the operation, one individual was arrested for allegedly residing in the country illegally. Additionally, officers seized 323,000 euros in connection with tax and social security debt. Investigators also noted that four of the inspected businesses are suspected of being shell companies. The action was part of an internationally coordinated effort to combat labor exploitation and illegal employment.