New Digital Oversight: Ministry of Labor Proposes Online Format for Workforce Inspections in Low-Risk Companies

The Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation is in the process of developing a project that will transition business inspections to an online format. This initiative will impact low- and medium-risk companies, including retail businesses, manufacturing firms, and consulting agencies. Inspections will be conducted through video conferencing or the «Inspector» application.

The online format will apply to preventive, inspection, and on-site checks. Scheduled inspections for these businesses will be eliminated. Following the online inspections, reports will be automatically generated. Employers will have the opportunity to submit requests for changes in their risk category via the «Gosuslugi» portal.

Shifting inspections online is expected to save companies both time and money, as employees won’t have to divert their attention from work to meet with inspectors. In 2023, businesses lost 44 billion rubles due to inspections.

A moratorium on scheduled business inspections is in place until 2030, specifically for small and medium enterprises classified as low and medium risk. An exception is made for hazardous industries, such as chemical plants and sites with emergency risk.

The President of the Russian Federation has instructed that, starting in 2025, risk assessments for companies should begin. Scheduled inspections will continue for high-risk enterprises. In the same year, the Labor Inspectorate will review companies like «Uralchem,» «Mostpromstroy,» and «Russneft,» along with those on the Labor Inspectorate’s «black lists.»

Experts express concerns that online inspections may offer less protection for workers’ rights. In 2024, the Labor Inspectorate received 220,000 complaints regarding wage payments, working conditions, and document processing. By May 2025, wage arrears reached 1.6 billion rubles.

Fines for violations of labor laws can reach up to 50,000 rubles, and companies may also face administrative and criminal liability. The most common violations include salary delays, informal employment, and failure to adhere to labor contract conditions.

The publication «Izvestia» has submitted a request to the Ministry of Labor regarding the impact of online inspections on their quality. The ministry advised contacting the Labor Inspectorate, which had not provided a response at the time of publication.