To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department’s press release, Over 200 employers called out for falling short of paying staff the minimum wage, published on 8 December 2021, how many employers were named and fined; how many people were paid back; and what amount of wages were recovered as a result of unpaid trial shifts at the outset of employment.
Answered on
14 December 2021
In the latest naming round, 208 employers were named for failing to pay £1.2m to around 12,000 workers. The employers were also ordered to pay nearly £2m in penalties.
Unpaid working time, which can include unpaid trial shifts, was a factor in 29% of these cases. Further information is available here:
Publicly naming these employers sends a clear message that it is never acceptable to underpay workers and that the minority who do so will not get off lightly. It also acts as an important tool that raises awareness of the rules.