Digital work card: Businesses persist in failing to report overtime
Nearly one in three labor law violations detected by the Independent Labor Inspection Authority (AAEE) in July involved the misuse of the digital work card, according to official inspection data. The findings highlight ongoing challenges in accurately recording employees’ working hours and overtime, particularly in sectors known for high rates of labor violations.
The digital card system, designed to record real-time work hours, has revealed significant discrepancies in industries such as hospitality, food service, and retail—sectors traditionally prone to non-compliance. Despite a sharp rise in declared overtime, many businesses continue to underreport or conceal extra working hours.
By February, the system covered approximately 700,000 employees, primarily in manufacturing, retail, banking, supermarkets, security, insurance, and public transport companies. Since March, tourism and catering businesses have been added, followed recently by 300,000 more workers from smaller industries. Today, about 1.7 million employees across hundreds of thousands of companies are required to use the digital card.
Inspection efforts have focused heavily on sectors with chronic violations. As a result, most fines have been concentrated in food service, wholesale trade, transportation, food manufacturing, retail, courier services, and accommodation. During the summer months, inspections also target heat stress risks for outdoor workers. Since June, more than 1,100 checks have been carried out to protect employees from exhaustion and health hazards due to high temperatures.
The AAEE reported a steady increase in inspections:
2023: 73,579 checks
2024: 79,207 checks
Jan–July 2025: 46,042 checks, with 9,631 sanctions and €27.1 million in fines.
Violations linked to the digital work card have been rising sharply. In July, inspectors recorded 287 infractions related to improper card use—up 61.1% compared with 184 cases in June. This marked the highest monthly figure since January (268). The surge is largely attributed to the inclusion of tourism and food service sectors in the system.
Breakdown of July inspections:
7,685 inspections carried out.
1,489 total violations recorded (19.37%).
€4.46 million in fines imposed.
For labor relations specifically:
4,222 inspections conducted.
1,009 violations found (23.89%).
€3.25 million in fines issued.
By category:
Digital work card misuse: 287 cases, €1.26 million in fines.
Staff registers: 160 cases, €296,320 in fines (often linked to exceeding working hours).
Unpaid wages/holiday bonuses/allowances: 121 cases, €243,250 in fines.
Failure to comply with obligations or procedures: 95 cases, €94,600 in fines.
Obstruction or inaccurate reporting to inspectors: 85 cases, €185,680 in fines.
Undeclared work: 75 cases, €850,500 in fines.
The data confirm that the misuse of the digital work card is now the leading labor law violation in Greece, raising concerns about employers’ reluctance to fully comply with regulations intended to ensure fair working conditions.
