Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535522
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 MAY 2025 6 ANNOUNCEMENT Changes to employment law will increase penalties for violations of workers' rights IN a commitment to enhance serious- ness and increase justice for workers, amendments will be made to employ- ment law to raise the penalties for those who violate workers' rights. This repre- sents another fulfilled electoral prom- ise — that penalties would be increased for employers engaging in abusive prac- tices. This was announced during a press conference by Parliamentary Sec- retary for Social Dialogue, Andy Ellul, who described the changes as another important step toward ensuring better protection for workers in Malta's labour market. Parliamentary Secretary Ellul ex- plained that there have been situations where workers who suffered injustices, such as not being paid their full wages, receiving less than what they are owed for overtime, or not being paid for pub- lic holidays, resulted in employers fac- ing a fine of only a minimum €232, even in repeat cases. Under the new amendments, penal- ties for those found guilty of violating employment law will increase as follows: • For a first offense, the fine will range from a minimum of €2,000 to a maximum of €5,000. • For a second or subsequent of- fense, the fine will range from not less than €5,000 to not more than €7,000. In addition, the prescriptive period, the period in which a person alleged to have committed an offense can be in- vestigated and brought to Court — will double from one year to two years. This will give workers more time to file com- plaints regarding employment law vio- lations, and the Department for Indus- trial and Employment Relations (DIER) will also have more time to investigate employers and proceed with legal ac- tion. While listing various initiatives the Government has implemented in recent years to strengthen workers' rights, in- cluding regulation of employment agen- cies, the food courier sector, an increase in the National Minimum Wage, and other measures that enhanced workers' dignity and protection, the Parliamen- tary Secretary stated that today's meas- ure targets the broader employment sector by introducing serious and strict consequences for employers who fail to comply with the law. "This Government takes concrete de- cisions to safeguard and protect work- ers. With this measure, we are ensuring greater justice for workers as we contin- ue to build a country of quality, where only seriousness is tolerated," stressed Parliamentary Secretary Ellul. He add- ed that these legislative amendments send a clear message: abuse of workers will not be accepted. He concluded by saying the Government is committed to further strengthening the laws to en- sure workers' rights remain protected. On her part, the Director General of the Department for Industrial and Em- ployment Relations, Diane Vella Mus- cat, described these changes as essential tools in the Department's role of en- forcing and ensuring high standards of working conditions. This will strength- en worker protections and ensure fair employment practices. Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul