In general terms, violation of employment laws does not entail criminal sanctions (except those related to serious acts such as child labor, evasion of tax and social security obligations, etc.).

There are criminal sanctions for breach of relevant work health and safety laws. The Queensland and South Australian labor hire licensing laws provide for terms of imprisonment in respect of some breaches.

Criminal sanctions are not generally a concern.

Criminal sanctions can be imposed for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the breach of health and safety obligations, breach of immigration laws, breach of data protection laws and breach of confidentiality.

Most legal dispositions with regard to labor law are subject to criminal or administrative sanctions in case of breach.

Violation of employment laws and discrimination can trigger criminal sanctions.

The main areas where criminal sanctions arise are under occupational health and safety legislation and related Criminal Code provisions. Both employees and directors can be subject to criminal sanctions.

Not applicable for this jurisdiction.

Limited circumstances, such as failure to pay salary in bad faith, may result in criminal sanctions.

Employees may be subject to criminal sanctions if they do not honor their non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements.

Employers may be subject to criminal sanctions if they perform actions to reduce enrollment to unions or to discourage such enrollment. 

Illegal employment of foreigners may under limited circumstances constitute a criminal offence.

Non-compliance with employment law can lead to criminal sanctions. Examples include employing a person without a valid work permit, failing to report and pay holiday pay, reading private emails, disclosure of trade secrets, breach of anti-discrimination provisions and failure to inform and consult in relation to collective redundancies, or business transfers.

Apart from fines relating to a breach of the rules on work permits and to the lack of reporting and paying of holiday pay, criminal sanctions related to employment legislation are very rarely seen.

Typically employers face criminal prosecution in connection with alleged discrimination, or where breach of occupational health and safety obligations has caused damage to an employee, or if the employer hasn't complied with working hours regulations. Failure to comply with the Employment Contracts Act or with consultation obligations in connection with the transfer of an undertaking can also be sanctioned with a criminal fine.

Yes (eg, for discrimination, harassment, offense of obstruction, or where an employee is discovered undertaking "concealed" work).

Both the company's representative and the company as a legal entity can be held criminally liable.

Significant frequent violation of works council information and consultation rights could lead to criminal charges; however, this rarely occurs.

The provisions of the EO are enforced, first by criminal law sanctions (where the usual penalty is a fine, except for payment-of-wages offenses, which can give rise to a sentence of imprisonment), and secondly, by way of civil remedies at the instance of the aggrieved employee. Further, in some instances, liability can be passed to the individual decision-maker of the employing company.

Not applicable for this jurisdiction.

Sanctions for violating labor statutes include both imprisonment and fine. The extent of such penal provisions will depend on the statute and the nature of the breach.

Imposed on employers who breach the Manpower Law, including where employers participate in anti-union activity; intentionally and without any rights or illegally access computers and/or electronic systems owned by somebody else for the purpose of obtaining electronic information and/or electronic documents; violate workplace health and safety regulations; fail to submit written annual reports on their industrial relations to the Minister of Manpower; or fail to pay overtime due.

Failure to notify the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation about mass layoffs is a criminal offense (although prosecution is rare). Employing a non-EEA or Swiss national without the required work permit is also a criminal offense. 

Failure to comply with various labor laws (such as minimum wage, work hours, unlawful discrimination and prohibited termination) is a criminal offense and may result in criminal proceedings (at least in theory).

None. Under certain circumstances, failure to fulfill a court decision can lead to criminal liability.

Some violations are subject to criminal sanctions. For example, violations of the worker dispatch law or failing to pay wages (including overtime allowances) may result in criminal sanctions.

Although criminal sanctions are not a general concern in employment and labor practices, failing to comply with the provisions of the labor laws is punishable in a court of law either by imprisonment or fines.

Criminal sanctions can be imposed for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the setting up of a trade union, breach of health and safety obligations, breach of immigration laws, breach of data protection laws and breach of confidentiality.

Some of the mandatory labor law rules are criminally punishable by fines and/or imprisonment, notably:

• Publishing a job offer without informing the Administration of Employment (ADEM)
• Hiring an employee without arranging a compulsory medical examination
• Hiring an employee from outside the EEA without authorization
• Paying wages below the minimum social wage
• Failing to comply with the rules on paid leave
• Failing to comply with the rules on public holidays

None specific to employers.

Employees may be subject to criminal sanctions if they do not honor their non-disclosure agreement.

Employers may be subject to criminal sanctions if they pay to their employees less than the minimum wage, or employ children under 15 years old.

Ranges from fines (up to €30,000) to the closure of the company.

Possible, but separate from labor process.

If any employer fails to sign an employment contract, it can be punished with imprisonment for not more than 6 months, a fine, or both.

If anyone violates any matters contained in an employment contract, he/she shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than 3 months, a fine, or both.

Employers or employees may be criminally liable for certain violations and subject to a fine, imprisonment, or both.

Criminal sanctions are not generally a concern.

Generally, none. However, there are criminal sanctions for breach of relevant health and safety laws.

Criminal sanctions are not applicable.

Willful or negligent breach of the Working Environment Act by the proprietor, employer or person managing the undertaking in the employer's stead is liable to a fine, imprisonment up to three months, or both. In particularly aggravating circumstances, the penalty may be up to two years' imprisonment. This does not apply to breach of provisions regarding appointment and termination.

Criminal sanctions can be imposed for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to breach of health and safety obligations, breach of immigration laws, breach of data protection laws and breach of confidentiality.

Criminal penalties may be imposed for violations of the Labor Code of the Philippines and relevant Special Laws as provided therein, such as but not limited to: illegal recruitment, sexual harassment, child labor, non-remittance of SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-Ibig contributions, and violations of collective bargaining agreements amounting to unfair labor practices.

An employer may be fined from PLN 1,000 to 30,000 for committing offenses specified in the Polish Labor Code which relate to the employer's basic obligations.

There are criminal sanctions related to employment issues such as improper use of child labor, violation of the autonomy or independence of trade unions, discriminatory acts, disobedience to the labor authority, fraud in respect of withholding taxes or social security contributions.

Generally, legal persons will be held criminally accountable for felonies committed by their legal representatives and de facto or de jure administrators in their name or on their behalf and to their benefit.

Criminal sanctions can be imposed for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the breach of health and safety obligations, breach of immigration laws, breach of data protection laws and breach of confidentiality.

Infringement of health and safety rules can lead to criminal sanctions (where human life has potentially been put in jeopardy). Criminal liability is also triggered in cases of repeated breach of the obligation to pay minimum salary or repeated refusal to permit labor inspectors access to any of the company's locations, or to provide them with requested documentation, etc.

Criminal sanctions are not generally a concern for employers acting as legal entities.

Not generally a concern under Saudi Labor Law.

Criminal sanctions include fines or imprisonment for offenses under the EA (or other applicable statutes). Offenses under the EA include: wrongful detention of an employee by the employer after a contract of services have been determined; obstructing an employee appearing before an inquiry held by the Commissioner; fraudulently inducing an employee to emigrate out of Singapore to work; entering into prohibited contracts of service; failure to pay salary as stipulated; and employment of children under 12 years of age.

Any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company may also be charged with the same offense and punished upon conviction, if it can be shown that the offense is committed with the consent or connivance of any act or default of such persons.

Non-payment of wages or severance pay may be punished by a prison sentence of up to 12 years, depending on the circumstances of and motive for the non-payment, and on the damage caused.

Employment law is largely de-criminalized; however, specific legislation renders some behavior a criminal offense. For instance, disclosure of the private information of employees to third parties is an offense.

If the ruling of unfair dismissal is finalized by the court and the employer does not comply with the reinstatement order from RLRC, the employer may be subject to an imprisonment of up to 1 year or a criminal fine of up to 10 million KRW.

There are criminal sanctions related to employment issues, such as those linked to work-related accidents and social security fraud.

Generally, legal persons will be held criminally accountable for the felonies committed in their name or on their behalf, and to their benefit, by their legal representatives and de facto or de jure administrators. Legal persons will also be criminally accountable for the felonies committed when perpetrating the corporate activities, and on account, and to the advantage, thereof.

An employer who intentionally or negligently fails to comply with an order or prohibition issued by the Swedish Work Environment Authority pursuant to certain regulations may be fined or sentenced to imprisonment for a maximum of 1 year.

Failure to comply with health and safety legal requirements; undeclared or illicit work; sexual and psychological harassment.

Not a concern.

LPA and LRA both provide criminal sanctions including penalties of both fine and imprisonment. Further, in some instances, liability can be passed to the director of the employing company.

Criminal sanctions are not generally a concern, except in cases such as sexual harassment or an occupational accident.

Violation of certain provisions of the Employment Act can trigger criminal sanctions. For example a person who records or causes to be recorded wrong, inaccurate or deficient information in an employee's records of service with an intention to defraud the employee or employer or any public authority, or who acts to conceal such fraudulent acts, commits an offense, as does an employer or employee who fails, without justifiable cause, to reply to a labor officer's written request for information within a period of 14 days from the time the request was received by the employer or the employee, as the case may be.

Ukrainian labor law provides for the following categories of liability for violations of the labor law:

• Financial penalties of up to approx. US$13,000
• Administrative fines for violations of the Code of Administrative Offenses
• criminal sanctions, including imprisonment, for company officers for gross violations of labor laws (eg, intentional and unjustified failure to pay salary for a period exceeding one month)

Criminal sanctions can be imposed for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the setting up of a trade union, breach of health and safety obligations, breach of immigration laws, breach of data protection laws and breach of confidentiality.

Failure to notify the Secretary of State about mass layoffs is a criminal offense. Prosecution is fairly rare, but there has been an upward trend in prosecutions in recent years. Otherwise, criminal sanctions are not generally a concern.

Employers may be criminally liable for certain violations of wage and hour laws. In limited circumstances, employers may be vicariously liable for the criminal acts of their employees. Employers may be liable for monetary statutory penalties (such as double or treble damages) for violations of wage and hour and other laws.

Failure to comply with the mass layoff requirements or administrative decisions of reinstatement and back pay may result in imprisonment from 6 to 15 months. In practice, prosecution is not common.

Employers may be criminally liable for certain violations, such as unlawfully dismissing an employee or using force or threats which cause an employee to resign, and subject to a fine, imprisonment, or both.