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23 August 2006
Employees in Britain are getting into financial difficulties because many of their bosses are not willing to pay them the minimum wage, according to findings from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Some of the excuses given by bosses when contacted by HMRC enforcement officers have verged on the tenuous - and it has subsequently published the ten worst ones.
These include: "It's more than they would get in their own country", "The workers can't speak English", "I only took him on as a favour", "He's disabled" and "He doesn't deserve it - he's a total waste of space".
Paymaster general Dawn Primarolo reminded employers that this isn't good enough, stating: "This list shows that there are still some rogue employers out there willing to flout the law, which is why our enforcement teams are hard at work across the UK to ensure that everyone is getting paid at least the national minimum wage.
"We are publishing this list of excuses today to remind employers and employees of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the national minimum wage."
The minimum wage ranges from £3 an hour for 16 and 17-year-olds - rising by 30p from October - to £5.05 an hour for those aged over 22 (£5.35 from October).
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