George Tzilivakis is proposed as the first Commander of the Independent Labor Inspection Authority

George Tzilivakis, a private sector executive with a long tenure in senior positions of Human Resources Management in large companies is proposed by the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kostis Hatzidakis for the position of Labor Inspector.

His appointment will take place after the approval of his candidacy by the Parliamentary Institutions and Transparency Committee, marking the “last mile” for the transformation of SEPE into an Independent Labor Inspection Authority.

The selection of Mr. Tzilivakis was made in accordance with the procedure provided by Law 4808/2021 for the Protection of Labor. The position was announced through a competition and then an independent Committee headed by the president of ASEP made the first selection of candidates and ended up in the top four. The Labor Inspectorate’s Board of Directors then selected the two and submitted a proposal to the Minister of Labor, who is responsible for the final selection.

The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Kostis Hatzidakis, stated: “With the proposal to the Institutions and Transparency Committee for the appointment of the first Governor of the new Independent Labor Inspection Authority, an important process for securing the rights of employees is completed. with the Board of Directors – which has already been appointed – will coordinate the transition from the current Body of Labor Inspectors to the new Independent Authority, which has by Law 4808/2021 all the guarantees to perform its audit work impartially and objectively This is very important, especially considering the rumors that have existed for decades regarding the occasional interventions of political leaders in the work of SEPE. The new Commander will be called upon to utilize his legal education, his managerial skills and experience in labor relations to create a modern Labor Inspectorate administratively and functionally impartial. A Labor Inspectorate that together with the new institution of the Digital Work Card will guarantee the respect of the rights of the employees “.

Mr. Tzilivakis has served as Managing Director of Human Resources and General Manager of Human Resources in a number of large companies. From these positions he has led numerous groups of executives and employees of the private sector, gaining experience that allows him to have a better understanding of the problems and complaints related to labor relations. He holds a law degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a master’s degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick in Great Britain. During his career, he worked as Human Resources Manager at Toyota Hellas, Alpha Bank Serbia (68 branches – 800 employees), Egnatia Bank (70 branches – more than 800 employees) and Sprider Stores (100 branches – 1,600 employees ). He also worked as General Manager of Human Resources at Folli-Follie (1,000 employees in Greece and 3,000 worldwide) -under the invitation in 2019 of the Management Team that undertook to manage the known problem- and in Intrum Hellas from 2019 onwards, with a basic mission the transfer of staff, procedures, systems and culture from a Greek systemic bank to a newly established multinational organization.

The role of the new Commander and the next steps

The Commander of the Labor Inspectorate exercises all the responsibilities of the authority provided by Law 4808/2021, except those that are explicitly stated to be exercised by the Board of Directors.

Indicatively, among others:

– Issues and amends the Organization and the Internal Regulations of the Labor Inspectorate and describes the jobs of its Services, through the preparation of job profiles

– Formulates and updates the long-term strategic planning of the Labor Inspectorate. It also prepares and reviews, if necessary, the Authority’s annual business plan

– Suggests to the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs legislative regulations on issues that fall within his responsibilities

– Selects and appoints the heads of the organizational units of each level of the Labor Inspectorate

– Determines the internal structure of the Labor Inspectorate Services and their local and substantive competence

Exercises any other responsibilities of the Inspector General of Labor existing at the time of entry into force of the Labor Inspectorate

Upon taking up his duties, the Governor signs a performance contract with the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs which sets out his obligations and the qualitative and quantitative objectives to be achieved during his term of office, as well as on an annual basis.

Then, the Governor with his decision (published in the Official Gazette) issues the Organization of the Labor Inspectorate, which will describe the structure of the services of the Authority, their responsibilities, etc. and the Internal Rules of Operation.

After the issuance of the Organization, the Minister of Labor will issue a Certificate of Activity for the commencement of the operation of the Labor Inspectorate. From the beginning of its operation, the Labor Inspectorate becomes the universal successor of SEPE.

Until the beginning of the operation of the Labor Inspectorate, its responsibilities are exercised by the SEPE, which will continue to carry out intensive checks for the observance of the labor legislation and the rules of health and safety at work.