This report takes an in-depth look at exploited migrant workers’ experiences with and views on workplace inspections in select EU Member States... [b]ased on interviews and focus groups conducted with exploited workers... 

[I]nspections should [...] be risk orientated. They also need to take adequate account of the fundamental rights of all workers under EU law...

Employers’ strategies aimed at evading fines and prosecution can negatively influence how workers perceive the role of inspection/monitoring authorities and on whether they trust that these authorities are capable of protecting their rights...

[A] significant number of exploited workers [...] had experienced or witnessed an inspection of some kind at their workplace during the period in which they were exploited. This shows that inspections – although not all focused on monitoring working conditions or detecting labour exploitation – do happen. However, they could be more effectively utilised to identify possible severe labour exploitation, as evidence from exploited workers shows that monitoring authorities do not always talk to workers or ask them questions about their working conditions... 

Most of all, this concerns domestic work, where inspections are virtually non-existent; and which particularly affects women...