The Labour Inspection Service (LIS) is Georgia's primary labour law enforcement body — a legal entity of public law under the MLHSA. Its mandate spans all of Georgia's labour legislation: the Labour Code, OSH Law, anti-discrimination provisions, child labour, and forced labour.
For much of 2004–2012, labour inspection was effectively abolished under radical deregulation. Its gradual restoration from 2013, formalisation in 2015, and post-2019 strengthening has transformed LIS into a credible enforcement institution. In 2023 it conducted 3,840 inspections — finding violations in 56% of inspected workplaces.
Historical development
Abolition to Enforcement: 2006–2024
2006–2012
Labour inspection effectively abolished. Radical deregulation policy removed employer obligations and inspection authority. ILO C081 compliance became impossible. Workplace accident rates surged.
2013
Partial restoration. LIS re-established under 2013 Labour Code reform — but without right of entry without consent. ILO missions found capacity 'wholly inadequate'.
2015
Modern framework established. Dedicated Law on Labour Inspection. Right of entry restored. Powers extended to document examination, private employee interviews, equipment testing. LIS as independent LEPL.
2018–2019
OSH integration and strengthening. LIS became OSH Law enforcement body. Post-Anauri disaster: inspectors doubled (~60→~120), criminal referral powers activated, GEL 10,000 maximum fine introduced.
2021–2023
Universal coverage, record inspections. 3,840 inspections in 2023 — highest in LIS history. Violation identification in 56% of workplaces. Criminal referrals for workplace deaths now routine.
LIS Inspections and Violations — 2019–2023
Annual inspection volume and violations identified. Source: LIS Annual Reports.
Source: LIS Annual Reports 2019–2023 (lis.gov.ge). Violations found in ~56% of inspected workplaces in 2023.
LIS is a LEPL under MLHSA. Mandate: (1) monitor compliance with Labour Code, OSH Law, anti-discrimination provisions, child labour, and forced labour laws; (2) investigate workplace accidents; (3) handle employee complaints; (4) provide advisory guidance for first-time technical violations; (5) report to Parliament quarterly.
GILS note: The advisory function (no penalty for first-time minor violations) is valuable. But follow-up inspections must apply fines automatically if violations are unresolved — current practice is inconsistent.
Article 4
LIS Independence
LIS exercises functions independently from employers. Inspector decisions appealable to Director General within 10 days, then to court. Inspectors prohibited from accepting any benefit from inspected entities — full asset declaration required.
Chapter II — Inspector Powers
Articles 5–9
Entry and Investigation
Art. 5: Entry to any workplace at any time without prior notice — produce identity document only. Art. 6: Examine any employment document; interview employees privately; photograph and test conditions; take samples. Art. 7: Request any document within 5 days — refusal is a separate violation. Art. 9: Unannounced night inspections permitted for shift workplaces (2 inspectors minimum).
GILS note: Unannounced entry is critical. In 2022, 34% of inspections found violations that would have been concealed with advance notice (LIS data). This power must be protected.
Articles 10–12
Enforcement Powers
Art. 10: Written Order specifying violation, corrective action, and deadline (max 30 days minor; immediate for imminent danger). Art. 11: Fines GEL 500–10,000 by violation category. Art. 12: Immediate work suspension for imminent danger without court order — employer may appeal within 24h but suspension continues pending review.
Chapter III — Complaint Handling
Articles 13–16
Employee Complaint Procedures
Complaints accepted in writing, electronically, or in person. Complainant identity confidential — employer not informed. LIS acknowledges within 5 working days; completes investigation within 30 working days. If upheld: compliance order plus possible fines. If dismissed: employee notified with reasons and may appeal.
GILS note: Anonymous complaint processing is the most effective tool for workers in small enterprises. The 30-day response deadline should be maintained as a statutory obligation, not a target.
Major progress: LIS transformed from near-abolition to credible institution. Inspection volume up 4-fold 2019–2023. Violations found in 56% of inspected workplaces. Criminal referrals for workplace deaths now routine.
Gaps: Inspector ratio 1:14,200 exceeds ILO maximum 1:10,000. High inspector turnover (~25%/yr) due to below-market salaries. Small enterprises inspected at one-fifth the rate of large ones. No sector-based proactive inspection programme.
GILS Policy Recommendations
Five Priority Actions
Recommendation 01
Expand inspector complement to 280 by 2028
Phased: 200 by 2026, 280 by 2028. Reduces ratio to 1:6,000. Salary benchmarked to civil service grade 7. Dedicated OSH inspector training academy with ILO LAB/ADMIN support.
ILO C081 · Estonia (Labour Inspectorate) · Lithuania (State Labour Inspectorate)
Recommendation 02
Sector-based proactive inspection programme
Annual sector campaigns: construction Q1, agriculture Q2, manufacturing Q3, retail/hospitality Q4. Publish results publicly — naming enterprises with repeated violations. Proven effective in UK HSE and German DGUV.
UK HSE · Germany (DGUV) · EU-OSHA sector campaigns
Recommendation 03
Publish enforcement data quarterly
LIS currently publishes annual reports. Recommend quarterly: inspections by sector/region, violations by type, fines issued and collected, criminal referrals and outcomes. Fulfils ILO C081 Art. 20-21 reporting obligation.
ILO C081 Art.20-21 · Finland · Sweden (Work Environment Authority)
Recommendation 04
Formal LIS-GTUC information-sharing protocol
Require LIS to: share sector inspection results with GTUC (anonymised); receive GTUC complaint referrals on priority basis; invite GTUC to participate as observers in serious accident investigations. Mirrors tripartite inspection models in Germany and Austria.
Germany (Arbeitsschutz) · Austria (Arbeitsinspektorat) · ILO C144
Recommendation 05
Mandatory employer OSH compliance disclosure
Enterprises with 100+ employees must publish annual OSH compliance report: accident rate, LIS inspection results, violations and corrective actions. Creates market incentives — procurement, insurance and investor due diligence increasingly require OSH performance data.
EU NFRD 2014/95/EU · UK Companies Act S414CA · France (loi Grenelle II)
A robust labour inspection system is the backbone of any functioning labour law framework. Georgia has made remarkable progress rebuilding this capacity after a decade of near-abolition. The next step is moving from reactive enforcement to strategic, risk-based inspection that reaches the workers who need protection most.
— GILS Research Position Paper on Labour Inspection Reform, September 2026
ILO Convention
Subject
Ratified
Compliance
Key Gap
C081
Labour Inspection
o
a
Inspector ratio above standard; quarterly data not published