Luxembourg football club staff left without salaries

In December 2024, MP Marc Baum sent a parliamentary enquiry concerning complaints by workers at a Luxembourg football club about unpaid wages. The reply from the Minister of Labour Georges Mischo indicated that the Inspectorate of Labour and Mines (ITM) had indeed received five separate complaints in 2024 about non-payment of wages over several months.

Of the five complaints, one was closed because the complainant did not meet the criteria for employee status. This is because athletes and coaches are only recognised as employees if their activities are primary and regular or their income exceeds the statutory threshold.

In two cases, the inspectorate issued an instruction to the employer to remedy the violations, which remained unanswered, resulting in a fine of €4,000. The other two cases are still pending.

The Ministry of Labour noted that when a complaint is received, a full inspection is carried out covering all aspects of the working conditions, including safety and compliance with the law. However, an inspection of the employer prior to the incident did not reveal any irregularities.

This case highlights the weaknesses in the protection of workers' rights, especially in the sports industry, where the regulation of employee status is sometimes not sufficiently transparent. Discussions around the need for tighter controls and greater ITM powers are ongoing, but it is not clear whether they will lead to a satisfactory solution for all parties.