The Netherlands’ 2,300 temporary work agencies have until January 1, 2012 to enroll with the trade register (Handelregister). For the moment, only 35% have registered. The government wants to tidy up the sector, where the Labor Inspectorate observed all sorts of abuses, notably underpaying posted workers in construction and shipbuilding. The fines are not simply against businesses that fail to register but also against businesses using workers from these dubious businesses: they range between €12,000 per worker posted by an unregistered office, to €24,000 for second offenses, to €36,000 for the third offense.
lding. The fines are not simply against businesses that fail to register but also against businesses using workers from these dubious businesses: they range between €12,000 per worker posted by an unregistered office, to €24,000 for second offenses, to €36,000 for the third offense.
The Parliament suggested this measure as early as 2008, but the government had rejected it (see our dispatch No. 081030). It had then stuck with a first regulation, adopted on September 17, 2008, which simply made
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