Top ten most bizarre excuses for underpayment of NMW released

13 January 2017

The top ten most bizarre excuses employers had for refusing to pay National Minimum Wage have been released by the HMRC.

They are:

1. The employee wasn’t a good worker so I didn’t think they deserved to be paid the National Minimum Wage.
2. It’s part of UK culture not to pay young workers for the first 3 months as they have to prove their ‘worth’ first.
3. I thought it was ok to pay foreign workers below the National Minimum Wage as they aren’t British and therefore don’t have the right to be paid it.
4. She doesn’t deserve the National Minimum Wage because she only makes the teas and sweeps the floors.
5. I’ve got an agreement with my workers that I won’t pay them the National Minimum Wage; they understand and they even signed a contract to this effect.
6. My accountant and I speak a different language – he doesn’t understand me and that’s why he doesn’t pay my workers the correct wages.
7. My workers like to think of themselves as being self-employed and the National Minimum Wage doesn’t apply to people who work for themselves.
8. My workers are often just on standby when there are no customers in the shop; I only pay them for when they’re actually serving someone.
9. My employee is still learning so they aren’t entitled to the National Minimum Wage.
10. The National Minimum Wage doesn’t apply to my business.

The Institute of Employment Rights will this month underline the fact, once again, that fundamental workers’ rights like the National Minimum Wage effectively do not exist if they are not properly enforced.

However, workers are being barred from access to justice through such policies as the introduction of employment tribunal fees and the restriction of legal aid.

An expert panel consisting of judges, lawyers, academics and trade unionists will discuss these policies, their impact, and how they can be resisted at two forthcoming conferences, as detailed below.

Book before 17 January 2017 to gain a special 30% discount on your entry fee

Book now for our 24 Jan 2016 conference in Liverpool

Book now for our 08 February Access to Justice conference in London