Any person working on the territory of the Republic of Moldova has the possibility to report violations they face in the labor field through the lucrezlegal.md platform, launched on Thursday in Chisinau. Petitions are free of charge, IPN reports.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection says in a press release that one in four employees works illegally, without a work contract and without an official salary, receiving instead money "in an envelope". "This practice jeopardizes the economic and social security of employees, and the lack of social protection and health insurance puts vulnerable people at high risk," warns the authorities.

Minister Alexei Buzu says that "the best form of social protection is a legal, well-paid job with safe working conditions". The official also notes that many people, when they retire, find that their pension is too low or that they have not worked enough years to complete their full working life. According to the minister, this phenomenon is common in Moldova because of illegal work without a work contract or because of under-declared work. "At the ministry, together with the ISM inspectors, we are committed to combat this phenomenon, which affects both the quality of life of our citizens and the country's economy as a whole," Alexei Buzu said, quoted in the ministry's press release.

The head of the Chisinau Territorial Labor Inspectorate, Andrei Prisacari, pointed out that signaling cases in which employees' rights are violated allows for rapid intervention, effective controls and taking the necessary measures to ensure compliance with labor legislation. "Labor inspectors analyze each complaint and intervene in order to verify the reported situation and ensure that employees' rights are respected", said the head of the territorial inspectorate.

Andrei Prisacari added that "the State Labor Inspectorate continues its reform efforts to improve control and support mechanisms for both employees and employers, developing new structures aimed at providing advice, methodological support and direct assistance to those in need".

Project Manager at the International Labour Organization, Violeta Vrabie, stressed that the platform "empowers employees to know their rights, establishes cohesion between authorities and workers, and simplifies the way to report abuses in the absence of employment contracts".

"The launch of lucrezlegal.md is part of a series of support measures from the International Labor Organization aimed at combating undeclared work," Violeta Vrabie said.

The petition will include information about the signatory, the employer's details and a detailed description of the employment situation.

People who submit a petition are guaranteed confidentiality by law throughout the process. Furthermore, the petitioner's personal details and the contents of the petition are not disclosed during checks carried out at employers or in other circumstances.

Since the beginning of 2024, the State Labor Inspectorate has carried out checks at 2 299
companies and, as a result, 741 entities were found to have persons working without a legal employment contract.