On 14 April 2025, Bill no. 132 was tabled before the Maltese Parliament proposing amendments to the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta) (hereinafter the “Proposed Amendments”) which contemplate (i) a revision of the fines that may be imposed on employers for a breach of employment law and (ii) an extension of the prescriptive period applicable to criminal liability for offences committed under the Act.
As at present date, any employer found in breach of employment law may be liable to a fine ranging from €232.94 to €2,329.37, regardless of whether it is a first or repeat offence. Under the Proposed Amendments, the penalty structure will be revised to impose a fine of between €2,000 and €5,000 for first-time offences, and of an amount between €5,000 to €7,000 in the case of any subsequent breaches.
With respect to the prescriptive period for initiating proceedings in relation to offences committed under the Act or any regulations or orders made thereunder, the Proposed Amendments will extend this period from one year to two years.
Bill No. 132 is still at proposal stage and has not yet been enacted and therefore remains subject to potential revision prior to its adoption into law. Once enacted, the Proposed Amendments will come into effect on the lapse of three months from the date of their publication in the Government Gazette.
