Is your business prepared for a State Labour Inspectorate audit? 5 critical documents for full compliance

A notice from the State Labour Inspectorate (SLI) regarding a planned inspection (or even worse – an unexpected visit following a complaint) is a moment that causes anxiety even for experienced entrepreneurs. Often, a business owner is convinced that "everything is in order" simply because salaries are paid on time. However, reality shows that fines are most often imposed not for malicious violations, but for inaccurate, outdated, or missing documentation.

How to avoid stress and financial losses? The key is proactive management of personnel records. In this article, we will look at 5 groups of documents that inspectors pay close attention to.

1. Employment Contracts and Job Descriptions: Do They Reflect Reality?

The employment contract is the foundation of everything. However, a common mistake is using "standard templates" that do not correspond to the employee's actual daily routine. What to look for:

• Does the working time specified in the contract (regular, aggregated, part-time) match the actual schedule?

• Is the job description signed, and does it accurately reflect the duties? (This is critical if you want to hold an employee accountable for poor-quality work).

• Are remote work arrangements defined if the employee works from home?

2. Time Tracking (Timesheets)

This is the number one "stumbling block." SLI inspections often reveal discrepancies between time tracking sheets, work schedules, and the actual salary paid. Critical points:

• Are overtime, night shifts, and public holidays accurately recorded in the timesheets?

• Are lunch breaks recorded, and do employees actually take them?

• In the case of aggregated working time – has a work schedule been drawn up and communicated to the employees? Remember – if the timesheet says "8 hours" but the employee sent work emails at 10:00 PM, it may be treated as a record-keeping violation.

3. Internal Working Regulations

Many believe this is just a formal document gathering dust on a shelf. However, the Labour Law stipulates that every company must have internal working regulations. What the inspector looks for:

• Are the regulations up to date? (For example, do they outline the whistleblowing procedure, which is now a mandatory requirement?)

• Have all employees been familiarized with them against a signature? This document represents your "rules of the game" – it regulates the organization of working hours, discipline, and basic principles of labor protection.

4. Orders and Supporting Documents

Verbal agreements are not valid during an SLI inspection. If an employee is on vacation, a business trip, or has received a bonus – it must be documented. Essential documents:

• Orders on granting vacations (and the vacation schedule).

• Orders on business trips.

• Agreements on additional work or amendments to the employment contract if the position or salary changes.

5. Labor Protection Documentation

Although labor safety briefings are conducted by specialists, the "root" of the documents often lies in the HR department. The SLI will check whether mandatory health checks (MHC) have been performed and whether they were done within the specified deadlines. It is also important that briefing registers are filled out correctly and that employees have signed for receiving the instructions.

Conclusion: It is Cheaper to Fix Than to Pay Fines

SLI fines for violations of the Labour Law can reach several thousand euros, not to mention the reputational risks and the time spent explaining things to the authorities.

Are you confident in your documents?

If reading this article raised doubts about any of these points, it is worth conducting an HR records audit.

Amberfy offers not only the development and organization of internal documents but also full-service personnel records management. We will ensure that your orders, contracts, and timesheets are always in perfect order and comply with the latest legal requirements.