A record penalty for trade on Sundays. The court had no mercy
The District Court in Tarnowskie Góry imposed a fine of 40,000 PLN per person managing a large -format store.
The reason was entrusting employees with commercial duties on Sundays and holidays, despite the prohibition. This is the highest penalty of this type at the District Labor Inspectorate in Katowice since 2018.
An attempt to circumvent the regulations. “Reader Club” instead of a store
The employer, wanting to bypass regulations, referred to conducting cultural activities. A “Reader Club” was created in the store, where customers could rent and buy books. The owner hoped that thanks to this he would cover it with an exception to cultural institutions, which would allow for sale on Sunday.
What was the court battle?
The National Labor Inspectorate (PIP) decided that it was only an excuse to bypass the trade ban. The case went to court, which initially imposed 3 thousand. PLN fine. After an objection and subsequent appeals, the District Court acquitted the accused, but the appeal of the labor inspector led to reconsideration of the case.
And it was after re -examination of the case that the District Court in Tarnowskie Góry found the manager of the wine shop and imposed a record penalty of 40,000. zloty.
Court: The employer must know the provisions
The court emphasized that interpretative doubts do not act in favor of the accused. – The employer should carefully analyze the regulations before he decides to trade on Sundays and holidays – commented Piotr Kalbron, District Labor Inspector in Katowice in an interview with Tygodnik Solidarność.
The judgment is not final, which means that the punished one can still appeal against the court’s decision.
The highest penalty for trade on Sundays. What next?
The case from Tarnowskie Góry shows that the courts are increasingly strictly treating attempts to celebrate the ban on Sunday. High punishment can become a warning to other entrepreneurs who would like to use the gaps in the regulations.
Will more companies decide on similar activities? Or is it the beginning of a tightened policy towards violations of the trade ban? Time will tell.
