A recent case of misuse of workers and government funds has tarnished the reputation of Forenede Services, Denmark’s 2nd largest facility service company.
Forenede Services were found to have employed 149 Eastern Europeans under false pretences. The workers were promised education and cleaning traineeships if they moved to Denmark to work for Forenede Services. However most of these employees ended up working 11-hour days with little or none of the classes they were promised.
It is reported that Forenede Services exploited these workers in order to take advantage of a Danish vocational scheme wherein Danish companies receive tax reimbursements when their employees complete a vocational course. Due to this the local branch of the Forenede Service, that took on these 149 Eastern Europeans, were refunded 90 per cent of the workers’ pay for courses that were not completed by or in some cases available to their employees.
Forenede Services were found guilty of employing and exploiting 13 illegal workers. Forenede Services were fined 1.5 million euro for this breach in employment practices and compliance.
Source: Leading, Cleaning Trade Magazine.
