An asparagus grower from Linne in Limburg has been fined 85,000 euros. Employees lived and worked at the company in appalling conditions, says the Labor Inspectorate.
In addition to the fine, the grower received a so-called ‘preventive shutdown warning’. This means that the Labor Inspectorate can suspend work if the employer violates the law again within five years.
The abuses at the asparagus grower came to light through statements and time sheets, among other things. This showed that employees had to work more than 80 hours a week for 7 euros per hour. The Labor Inspectorate has also established that fewer hours were paid than worked.
Dangerous and appalling conditions
For violating the Minimum Wage and Minimum Holiday Allowance Act, the grower must pay a fine of 70,000 euros. Because he has not kept a proper registration of the hours worked and the rest enjoyed per employee, a fine of 15,000 euros is added to this, reports 1Limburg.
In June last year, more than fifty labor migrants were found under ‘dangerous and appalling conditions’ at the asparagus grower’s complex in Linne. This happened during a joint inspection by the Aliens Police, the Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate and the municipality of Maasgouw.
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