Illusory Savings. Employees of the MNS inspection of the Republic of Belarus for the Zheleznodorozhny district of Gomel are conducting control measures to identify payers with signs of paying wages to hired workers in envelopes.

The first deputy head of the MNS of the Republic of Belarus for the Zheleznodorozhny district of Gomel, Elena Banchuk, spoke about the results of this activity.

According to the representative of the tax authorities, over the three quarters of 2026, the inspection staff identified 43 cases of paying wages without documentary registration and reflection in accounting and tax records.

As a result of the checks, income tax in the amount of more than two million rubles was claimed for payment to the budget, Elena Banchuk said.

15 legal entities and individuals were brought to administrative responsibility for non-payment of income tax, and the amount of fines totaled 192 thousand rubles.

The largest number of violations in paying wages to employees in envelopes is recorded in areas of activity related to the handling of cash: retail trade and public catering, transportation services (taxis, cargo transportation), as well as medical and hairdressing services.

Some business entities conceal the full amount of cash revenue, part of which is then used to pay wages in envelopes.

It is also common to attract hired workers without concluding employment (civil-law) contracts with them, or to replace labor relations with civil-law relations, as well as to pay wages in envelopes under the guise of reimbursing business trip expenses and expenses for economic needs, added the first deputy head of the MNS inspection. For these violations, business entities face liability not only in the form of unpaid taxes and imposed administrative fines but sometimes also criminal liability under Article 243 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus ("Evasion of payment of taxes, fees").

Therefore, the representative of the tax authorities reminds that employers are required to conclude employment (civil-law) contracts with citizens when hiring and to make all payments with their full reflection in accounting and tax records.

And workers should demand official formalization of labor relations, as this is their guarantee of receiving a pension, payment of social benefits, and determination of creditworthiness when applying to a bank, noted Elena Banchuk. If you know of cases of wages being paid in cash, you can report this by calling 189 or contacting the tax authority at your place of registration.