NI health trusts 'named and shamed' over not paying minimum wage
- Published
Northern Ireland's five health trusts have been "named and shamed" by the UK government for failing to pay their workers the minimum wage.
They are among 139 UK employers recently fined by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The list includes some big household names, such as Tesco and Pizza Hut.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust (HSC), covering the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council area, was the worst offender.
It failed to pay £11,285 to 269 workers.
Figures for the other four trusts are listed below:
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, covering Lisburn and Castlereagh, failed to pay £7,564 to 193 workers
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust failed to pay £7,303 to 192 workers
Northern Health and Social Care Trust, covering Antrim and Newtownabbey, failed to pay £6,900 to 146 workers
Western Health and Social Care Trust, covering Derry City and Strabane, failed to pay £6,171 to 170 workers
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the BBC the department was "aware of this issue", which was caused by "late payment of the increased rate in the National Living Wage effective from 1 April 2017".
'Outside HSC control'
"All HSC staff are paid at rates which are above the minimum wage," the spokesperson said.
They said the correct rate was applied and paid to affected staff in August/September 2017, with arrears back to 1 April 2017 and that it was "always the HSC intention to pay the correct rate".
"A unique combination of factors meant that there was a delay, and this was entirely outside the HSC employers' control," the statement read.
Meat wholesaler Doherty & Gray Limited topped the list of Northern Ireland businesses which were fined.
The Ballymena-based company, which was fourth highest on the list of UK-wide companies, failed to pay £43,470 to 128 workers.
Meanwhile, Western Brand Poultry Products, based in Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, failed to pay £9,275 to 50 workers.
'It's not optional'
This is the first time the government has named and shamed companies for failing to pay the national minimum wage since 2018, following reforms to the process to ensure only the worst offenders were targeted.
Business Minister Paul Scully pointed out that paying the minimum wage "is not optional - it's the law".
"It is never acceptable for any employer to short-change their workers, but it is especially disappointing to see huge household names who absolutely should know better on this list," he said.
"This should serve as a wake-up call to named employers and a reminder to everyone of the importance of paying workers what they are legally entitled to."
Mr Scully warned any business which fails to follow minimum wage rules "will be caught out and made to pay up".
One of the main causes of minimum wage breaches was low-paid employees being made to cover work costs, such as paying for uniform, training or parking fees.
Mr Scully warned that any business which fails to follow minimum wage rules will be caught
Some employers failed to raise employees' pay after they had a birthday, which should have moved them into a different National Minimum Wage bracket.
As well as recovering the arrears for workers, HMRC issues penalties to the offending businesses.
The full list of Northern Ireland businesses fined, along with the council area in which they are based, is:
Meat wholesaler Doherty & Gray Limited, Mid and East Antrim, failed to pay £43,470 to 128 workers
Western Brand Poultry Products (NI) Ltd, Fermanagh and Omagh failed to pay £9,275 to 50 workers
Manor House Country Hotel Limited, Fermanagh and Omagh, failed to pay £2,837 to 139 workers
Mr Darran Vaughan, trading as VAS Car Sales, Newry, Mourne and Down, failed to pay £2,351 to one worker
Dessian Products Limited, Belfast, failed to pay £1,885 to one worker
Larne Coachworks Limited, Mid and East Antrim, failed to pay £1,791 to one worker
Business Services Organisation, Belfast, failed to pay £1,310 to 32 workers
Black Rock Hotels Limited, trading as Leighinmohr House Hotel in Mid and East Antrim, failed to pay £1,138 to 30 workers
Glenpac Bacon Products Limited of Newry, Mourne and Down, failed to pay £752.02 to two workers
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- Published31 December 2020
