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| Government 'names and shames' minimum wage underpayers | Government 'names and shames' minimum wage underpayers |
| (1 day later) | |
| A list of 25 employers who failed to pay workers the minimum wage has been released by the government. | A list of 25 employers who failed to pay workers the minimum wage has been released by the government. |
| They are the latest offenders to be "named and shamed" under rules that came into effect last October. | They are the latest offenders to be "named and shamed" under rules that came into effect last October. |
| Between them they owe more than £43,000 to staff and have been ordered to pay fines totalling more than £21,000. | Between them they owe more than £43,000 to staff and have been ordered to pay fines totalling more than £21,000. |
| Business minister Jenny Willott said: "If employers break the law they need to know they will face tough consequences." | Business minister Jenny Willott said: "If employers break the law they need to know they will face tough consequences." |
| The national minimum wage is currently £6.31 an hour for adults and will rise to £6.50 from October. | The national minimum wage is currently £6.31 an hour for adults and will rise to £6.50 from October. |
| 'Wrong and illegal' | 'Wrong and illegal' |
| The employers were investigated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) after members of staff called a free helpline to report they were being underpaid. | The employers were investigated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) after members of staff called a free helpline to report they were being underpaid. |
| They include a school in Edinburgh which underpaid an employee by £3,739 and a garage in Bradford that failed to pay a worker £6,426. | They include a school in Edinburgh which underpaid an employee by £3,739 and a garage in Bradford that failed to pay a worker £6,426. |
| The government's "naming and shaming" initiative is one of a number of measures it has introduced for employers who break the minimum wage law. | The government's "naming and shaming" initiative is one of a number of measures it has introduced for employers who break the minimum wage law. |
| Those who underpay now face penalties of up to £20,000, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said. | Those who underpay now face penalties of up to £20,000, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said. |
| Plans - as outlined in the Queen's Speech - are under way so that employers will face a £20,000 fine per employee who is underpaid. | Plans - as outlined in the Queen's Speech - are under way so that employers will face a £20,000 fine per employee who is underpaid. |
| Twelve of the employers underpaid staff by four-figure sums. They are: | Twelve of the employers underpaid staff by four-figure sums. They are: |
| Ms Willott said: "Paying less than the minimum wage is not only wrong, it's illegal. | Ms Willott said: "Paying less than the minimum wage is not only wrong, it's illegal. |
| "If employers break the law they need to know that they will face tough consequences. Any worker who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it." | "If employers break the law they need to know that they will face tough consequences. Any worker who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it." |
| The remaining employers named by the government are: | The remaining employers named by the government are: |
| 'Clear deterrent' | 'Clear deterrent' |
| HMRC said this week that more than £4.6m had been paid out to 22,000 people, including staff at a Premier League club, who had been paid less than the minimum wage. | HMRC said this week that more than £4.6m had been paid out to 22,000 people, including staff at a Premier League club, who had been paid less than the minimum wage. |
| The football club, which HMRC did not name, made staff pay for their uniforms and also made deductions for travelling time, had to pay arrears of more than £27,500 to 3,000 workers. | The football club, which HMRC did not name, made staff pay for their uniforms and also made deductions for travelling time, had to pay arrears of more than £27,500 to 3,000 workers. |
| Another case involved a recruitment agency - again which HMRC did not name - that was ordered to pay more than £167,000 after classifying some workers as unpaid interns. | Another case involved a recruitment agency - again which HMRC did not name - that was ordered to pay more than £167,000 after classifying some workers as unpaid interns. |
| Asked why HMRC would not publish the names of the football club or recruitment company a Department for Business spokeswoman said they had been investigated under previous rules and not as part of the new enforcement regiment. | |
| TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: "It is shocking that some employers - including those who pay certain star staff millions of pounds a year - are cheating low-paid workers out of the minimum wage. | TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: "It is shocking that some employers - including those who pay certain star staff millions of pounds a year - are cheating low-paid workers out of the minimum wage. |
| "The penalties won by HMRC - which the government are rightly making even bigger - should be a clear deterrent to any bad bosses thinking about short-changing their staff." | "The penalties won by HMRC - which the government are rightly making even bigger - should be a clear deterrent to any bad bosses thinking about short-changing their staff." |