Dundee FC "named and shamed" on low wage list

Dundee FC was found to have underpaid four players

Dundee Football Club is among the latest Scottish employers to be "named and shamed" for failing to pay staff the minimum wage.

The club underpaid four players by a total of £2,134, according to figures released by the UK government.

A total of 26 employers across Scotland were found to have underpaid 302 staff by a total of £60,000.

The worst offender was named as diving charter firm Orkney and Shetland Charters.

It was found to have underpaid five workers a total of more than £20,150.

Midlothian-based car repair firm TLC (Car Care) Ltd owed the second largest total - £7,522 - to 129 staff.

It was followed by TC Carehome, which runs Ardenlee Care Home in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute. It owed £6,087 overall to 39 workers.

In Perthshire, the voluntary committee that runs Alyth town hall was named as owing one person more than £4,000.

In a statement, Dundee FC said that four players were underpaid "due to administrative shortcomings in our payroll process".

It added: "They were advised immediately about the situation and the arrears repaid in their next salary.

"The club is fully supportive of the legislation and has been advised that the actions that we took put us in full compliance.

"We are committed to ensuring that all of our staff are paid the appropriate rates."

'Beggars belief'

Scotland Office Minister Lord Duncan said: "It beggars belief that some employers think they can get away with underpaying staff and tricking them out of the wage to which they are legally entitled.

"That's why we are naming, shaming and fining these companies. We won't stop until every employee in Scotland is paid correctly and fairly for their labours.

According to the UK government, the top reasons nationally for underpaying wages include taking deductions from pay for costs such as uniforms, underpaying apprentices, failing to pay travel time and using the wrong time periods for calculating pay.