24 Dec 2001
The Government’s campaign to crack down on scrooge employers has seen over £200,000 recovered in wage arrears in Scotland over the last seven months, benefiting a further 400 low paid workers, Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell said today (Monday 24 Dec).
Inland Revenue officers, who act as National Minimum Wage enforcement officers, have now visited 914 Scottish companies in response to complaints of underpayment from low paid workers.
Commenting on the latest figures, which highlight the Government’s commitment to ensuring that workers receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, Mrs Liddell said:
"Minimum wage enforcement officers are catching more unscrupulous employers than ever before. A total of £442,000 has been recovered on behalf of 989 low paid workers in Scotland since 1 April 2000. Protecting workers is especially important over the festive period as more people are likely to take temporary jobs at this time of year.
"Enforcement orders can result in workers receiving anything from a few pounds to awards totalling thousand of pounds depending upon how long and by how much an employer has been underpaying a member of staff. The National Minimum Wage is making work pay for thousands of workers across Scotland and we will not stand by and allow people to be denied their legal rights.
"Scrooge bosses need to be aware that enforcement officers can also charge £8.20 per worker for each day of non-payment of the national minimum wage. This Government is committed to promoting decent minimum standards in the workplace and ending exploitation.
"There is no excuse for failing to pay the national minimum wage and we will ensure that there is no escape for unscrupulous employers who break the law by exploiting their work force."
NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS
1. The Department for Trade and Industry is responsible for NMW policy while the Inland Revenue enforces it through a dedicated team of enforcement officers.
2. The NMW adult rate (22 years old and over) is £4.10 per hour while the rate for 18-21 year olds is £3.50 per hour.
3. Workers who would like to find out more about the NMW, or would like to complain about underpayment, should call the confidential National Minimum Wage Hotline number on 0845 6000 678 or use the interactive website - www.tiger.gov.uk The helpline has taken over 250,000 calls from across the UK since it was introduced in February 1999.