As part of ELA’s awareness-raising campaign “Rights for all seasons”, in the period between June to October 2021 the State Labour Inspectorate of Latvia has carried out numerous inspections, information activities, as well as other compliance measures in order to promote fair and safe working conditions for seasonal workers in Latvia. The inspections have focused mainly on seasonal work and aimed at reducing and preventing possible violations of labour law and labour protection in the employment of seasonal workers, as well as recalling that the right to fair and safe working conditions is not of a seasonal nature.

In total, the State Labour Inspectorate carried out 202 thematic inspections, mostly in the following sectors:

• street trade (retail sale of ice cream, fruits, vegetables, food, beverages and tobacco products)
• restaurant and mobile food service activities
• mixed agriculture
• accommodation in hotels and similar accommodation
• operation of amusement and recreation parks
• other industries - peat extraction, transport support activities

The Inspectorate has not identified any breaches related to wage agreements, rest periods and the provision of personal protective equipment or other significant risks to the safety and health of workers during the inspections. However, the inspectorate has initiated 52 administrative proceedings related to the undeclared work of 56 persons.

In some cases, minor violations of labour law and labour protection legislation have been identified, such as, work environment risk factors that had not been fully assessed, employees which had not been sent to perform mandatory health examinations, and other slight deficiencies.

"By carrying out the campaign, we wished to recall that all employees have the right to safe and fair working conditions. Work may be seasonal, but not the rights of employees. At a time when several sectors are recovering from the negative effects of a pandemic, it is particularly important that upright and law-abiding employers are not exposed to unfair competition. Saving at the expense of workers' rights, social protection and occupational safety cannot be a recipe to recover income lost during the pandemic,” says Renārs Lūsis, Director of the State Labour Inspectorate of Latvia.

Click here to view the full TV interview of Renārs Lūsis, Director of the State Labour Inspectorate of Latvia: https://ltv.lsm.lv/lv/raksts/21.09.2021-intervija-ar-valsts-darba-inspekcijas-direktoru-renaru-lusi.id239433

Find out more on the website of Latvia’s labour inspectorate here: https://www.vdi.gov.lv/en