Inspections find irregular work conditions in 59% of firms

(ANSA) - Rome, July 28 - Italy's labour ministry said on Tuesday that 59% of companies that had been inspected in the first half of the year had staff working under irregular conditions, a higher rate than the same period the previous year.
    During investigations, inspectors challenged businesses for 18,215 employees who were working off the books, and ordered 3,873 companies to suspend operations due to their use of undeclared staff.
    Some of the main violations inspectors dealt with in the January-June period included overtime work infringements and failure to ensure health and safety standards.
    The ministry also noted "the significant increase in irregularities of a criminal nature, relating to the protection of working mothers and the use of illegal foreign workers."