Consumer advocates warn against bogus self-employment among caregivers

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A nurse holds the hand of an old woman (symbolic picture): Agencies sometimes also provide bogus self-employed

Consumer protection organizations from three federal states warn against employing bogus self-employed care workers. The consequence could otherwise be high back payments of social security contributions and taxes as well as fines, said the consumer advice centers in North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin and Brandenburg. The involvement of a placement agency does not automatically protect against this risk.

The organizations examined the websites of 84 recruitment agencies to determine how recognizable the employment model offered was. Every fifth agency brokered a model that involves major legal risks for consumers - they offered self-employed caregivers.

Risks are often hardly recognizable

In eleven of 17 cases, this could be seen on the agencies' website - however, the information was inaccurate or incomplete. Four agencies only gave information in one phone call that they were placing self-employed people. Only two provided comprehensive information on their website.

The experts therefore warned that consumers without prior knowledge of the various employment models would have little chance of recognizing the legal risks.

They advised families and relatives against employing independent caregivers. Consumers should check the website of a placement agency to see whether they are placing carers who are subject to social security contributions. This should also be asked explicitly again before concluding the contract.

rai / kko / tue / afp