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Friday 13th January 2017
13 January 2017 | Deborah Shrewsbury
HM Revenue & Customs has revealed a list of ten of the worst excuses offered by employers caught out for underpaying staff.
The list highlights the government's new £1.7million awareness campaign to encourage workers to check they are receiving at least the statutory minimum ahead of the national minimum and national living wages rises on 1 April.
Excuses given include:
- The employee wasn't a good worker so I didn't think they deserved to be paid the National Minimum Wage.
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- It's part of UK culture not to pay young workers for the first three months as they have to prove their 'worth' first.
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- 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.
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- She doesn't deserve the National Minimum Wage because she only makes the teas and sweeps the floors.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- My employee is still learning so they aren't entitled to the National Minimum Wage.
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- The National Minimum Wage doesn't apply to my business.