Canterbury business ‘named and shamed’ in Government wage list

Mr Boles claims OM Hair Salon neglected to pay £1,568.89 to three workers; Patricia Mayhew, of The Stitch Academy, failed to pay one worker £645.28; and On Your Bike (Recycle) Ltd underpaid a worker by £317.61.

Employees must be paid at least the minimum-wage rate, no matter how they are paid.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We support the Low Pay Commission gathering and assessing evidence to set the minimum wage rate for under 25s, but this should be extended to setting the mandatory pay rates for all staff without pressure from Government to hit an arbitrary £9 per hour target by 2020”.

She refused to comment further.

The new level compares to South Dakota’s $8.50, Illinois’ $8.25 and Michigan’s $8.25 per hour, making Minnesota’s the highest minimum wage away from the east and west coast, the report states.

She said she could not provide any further details.

Nick Boles. Business Minister, said: “As a one nation government on the side of working people we are determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage receives it”.

The named companies owed over £153,000 in arrears to workers, discovered after investigations by Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The bump is part of a three-part increase that will see the minimum wage rise to $9.50 next year, and incremental raises tied to inflation after that.

This brings the total number of companies named and shamed under the scheme, which was introduced in October 2013, to 285 employers, with total arrears of over £788,000 and total penalties of over £325,000.

Employers and workers can call the Acas helpline or visit www.gov.uk if they need information about the NMW.