First criminal conviction for deliberate non-payment of the National Minimum Wage
11 - 7 - 2008The owners of a butcher’s shop in Yorkshire have become the first employers in the country to be convicted of deliberately avoiding paying two members of staff the National Minimum Wage. They have consequently been ordered to pay over £11,000 in compensation, plus costs.
The owners pleaded guilty to neglecting to pay their employees the National Minimum Wage and had set out to conceal the underpayments. The court found that adequate records had not been kept and then pay records had been falsified in an attempt to convince HM Revenue & Customs compliance officers that they had been paying the correct amounts.
As a result of their actions they were found guilty of various offences under section 31 of the National Minimum Wage Act (non-payment of National Minimum Wages, failing to keep adequate records and making false entries in pay records).
Employment Relations Minister, Pat McFadden said:
“Everyone has a right to the National Minimum Wage and this case reflects the Government’s determination to crack down on rogue employers who underpay their staff. That is also why we are toughening up our powers to punish those who don’t pay the minimum wage, including introducing potentially unlimited and giving inspectors greater powers to investigate wrong-doing.”
For more information about employment matters contact Emma Thompson or Victoria Wright on 020 8290 0440 or email emma.thompson@thackraywilliams.com or victoria.wright@thackraywilliams.com.