Nine Northern Irish businesses named for breaking national minimum wage law. 

By Q Radio News

Today, nine Northern Irish businesses are being named for breaking national minimum wage law. 

The breaches took place between 2012 and 2018. Following investigations by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, a total of £72k was found to be owed to 412 workers. 

Named employers have since been made to pay back what they owed, and were fined an additional £91k, showing it is never acceptable to underpay workers.

Today, nine Northern Irish businesses have been named for breaking national minimum wage law. https://t.co/L3QYNgpn9V

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) August 5, 2021

The UK Government recently gave millions a pay rise by increasing National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates in April 2021.

The rise means someone working full time on the National Living Wage will be taking home £5,400 more annually than they were in 2010.

Every single UK worker is entitled to the National Minimum Wage, no matter their age or profession. 

Minimum wage breaches can occur when workers are being paid on or just above the minimum wage rate, and then have deductions from their pay for uniform or accommodation. 

The employers named today previously underpaid workers in the following ways: 

• Wrongly deducted pay from workers’ wages, including for uniform and expenses
• Paying the incorrect apprenticeship rate
• Failing to pay workers for all the time they had worked, such as when they worked overtime   

Business Minister, Paul Scully, said: “Northern Irish employers can’t take their eye off the ball when it comes to upholding workers’ rights. 

“There is never an excuse to short-change workers and paying the minimum wage isn’t optional. 

“It’s up to all employers in Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland, including those on this list, to check government guidance and pay workers properly.” 

Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates.

They also face hefty financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears - capped at £20,000 per worker - which are paid to the government.

Since 2015 the government has ordered employers to repay over £100 million to 1 million workers. 

A significant number of the minimum wage breaches identified today affected those on apprenticeships.

Chair of the Low Pay Commission Bryan Sanderson said: 

“These are very difficult times for all workers, particularly those on low pay who are often undertaking critical tasks in a variety of key sectors including care. The minimum wage provides a crucial level of support and compliance is essential for the benefit of both the recipients and our society as a whole.”

List of Northern Irish employers who breached pay rules:

• Eishtec UK Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, BT66, failed to pay £12504.46 to 157 workers
• Noonan Services Group (NI) Limited - Dissolved, Belfast, BT3, failed to pay £4617.17 to 79 workers
• Newry Crash Repair Centre Ltd, Newry, Mourne and Down, BT35, failed to pay £3438.61 to 6 workers
• City Auto Repairs Ltd, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, BT60, failed to pay £2185.07 to 3 workers
• Phillips (Lisburn) Limited, Lisburn and Castlereagh, BT27, failed to pay £2147.33 to 1 worker
• Belfast Service Centre Limited, Belfast, BT5, failed to pay £1377.61 to 3 workers
• Mr John Maxwell, trading as Eurofix Car Repairs, Belfast, BT17, failed to pay £872.58 to 2 workers
• Mr Harold Todd, trading as H T Motors, Antrim and Newtownabbey, BT39, failed to pay £537.84 to 1 worker
• Sword Security (N.I.) Ltd (now under new ownership), Belfast, BT7, failed to pay £44280.74 to 160 workers