Today, Rødt submits a proposal to the Storting to amend the Working Environment Act on one point: To remove the upper limit for fees from the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority. Today’s limit is NOK 1.65 million. It applies no matter how much a company has earned by breaking the law. – There is no point in this fee ceiling when the profitability of the offenses can be ten times as high. Here, the Storting must clean up, says party leader Bjørnar Moxnes. Companies made a profit after a fee Rødt’s proposal comes after news on Wednesday revealed how the current law allows offenders to make a profit. When a Lithuanian company was taken for underpayment of workers in Norway, the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority would give a fee that would burn. But the audit stuck its head in the law that will ensure legal working conditions. Thus, the Lithuanian company made a profit, even after being fined for underpayment. ILLEGAL WORK: It was at Kleven Verft in Ulsteinvik that the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority uncovered illegal work and underpayment of workers from a Lithuanian subcontractor. The yard is today called Green Yard Kleven. Photo: Per Eide Rødt now wants to remove the law’s fee limit. – If a company cheats the employees for the salary they should have had, and the fraud exceeds NOK 1.65 million, then it is profitable. That’s not how we can have it. Therefore, the roof must be removed, says party leader Bjørnar Moxnes. Supported by Frp It is not every day that Rødt receives immediate support from the opposite side of the political spectrum. But they do now. – This case clearly shows that the law does not work as intended, says Dagfinn Olsen, parliamentary representative for Frp. He will also lift the fee limit. – There should not be an upper limit. If you have earned 3.2 million by underpaying people, the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority should be able to set a fee greater than the profit. It will hit hard on thugs, says Olsen. Arbeidstilsynet acknowledges the problem It was in 2013 that the Storting decided that Arbeidstilsynet should be able to impose infringement fines. As a starting point, the fee shall “exceed the gain obtained” in the event of an offense. It was stated in the bill from the Ministry of Labor, which the Storting passed. The Ministry also wrote: “In order for the violation fee to have a sufficient preventive effect, it is important that the breach of regulations does not appear to be profitable for the violator.” The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has acknowledged that the fee ceiling in some cases is lower than the gain in the event of an offense. However, they have not spoken out in favor of changing the current limit. – In the vast majority of cases, our room for maneuver is sufficient. But we do not hide that the ceiling in a few cases may be too low, said section chief Jens Erik Romslo to news on Wednesday. Want a limit The Conservatives are also in favor of changing the law. – The fact that you now have individual cases where the company makes money from breaking the working environment law, means that the limit should be increased, says deputy Henrik Asheim. The Conservative Party’s deputy leader Henrik Asheim is also positive about changing the law. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB In contrast to Rødt and Frp, he wants an upper limit. – You should have some kind of limit. The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority is not a court, but an authority, says Asheim. – What should the limit be? – It is difficult to establish right now. But it must be higher than today. One should look at previous cases where the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has wanted larger fines than the current law allows, says Asheim. Does not rule out change The Labor Party went to the polls on the motto: “Major cleaning in working life.” news has requested an interview with Minister of Labor Marte Mjøs Persen (Labor Party) on this matter. She has said no, but writes in an e-mail to news: Minister of Labor Marte Mjøs Persen (Labor) promises nothing, but does not rule out changes in the law’s fee ceiling. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB «I think it is important that the reaction is in proportion to the seriousness of the offense, and therefore I have asked the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority to sharpen practice. I do not rule out that there may also be a need to look at the current ceiling in the Working Environment Act. This is a question I want to take with me further. ” Friday is the last day the Storting convenes before the summer holidays. Rødt’s proposal for an amendment to the law will therefore be considered in the autumn.
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Rødt and Frp want to let Arbeidstilsynet give giant fines – news Dokumentar
