Labour inspections in Catalonia continue to focus on working-time records. These are the failures that trigger most penalties, and how to fix them before an inspection.
A focus that has not gone away
The daily working-time record remains one of the items most frequently reviewed during an inspection. The reason is simple: it is easy to check and it tends to expose other irregularities, such as overtime that was neither paid nor declared.
In companies with hybrid or remote working the picture has become more complex, and that is precisely where most of the issues we see are concentrated.
The failures we see most often
The first is a record completed after the fact using the contractual timetable. A record that is identical every single day, with no variation or incident, is not credible and tends to be read as a simulation of compliance.
The second is not recording breaks. If the collective agreement or the contract provides for a meal break, it must be reflected; otherwise the effective working day recorded may exceed legal limits.
The third is failure to retain records. They must remain available to staff, their representatives and the labour inspectorate for four years, in a format that allows immediate consultation.
The fourth affects remote staff: without a system that reflects the real start and end of activity, compliance is very hard to evidence.
The right to disconnect
Companies must produce an internal policy on the right to digital disconnection, after consulting employee representatives. In practice many have drafted one but never circulated it, which considerably reduces its effectiveness.
A useful policy sets out specific time bands, defines exceptions for genuine emergencies, and states what is expected regarding emails and messages outside working hours. The more concrete it is, the better it protects both sides.
What to do before a visit
An internal review in advance resolves most of these issues: check a sample of records, cross-check them against work reports, and confirm the system in use can produce the information quickly.
If you would like us to carry out that review with you, get in touch and we will prepare an assessment of where you stand.
