New amendments to the NMW Reg’s came into force on 1 October 2007. The NMW has increasedfrom £5.35 to £5.52 for standard workers.
The accommodation allowance has also risen from £4.15 in a day to £4.30 a day. This is of particular interest for those businesses such as hotels which provide accommodation for their employees. These businesses should review the amount of money they pay to their employees and the total value of accommodation or any benefits in kind to ensure that they are not breaching the NMW Regulations. This area is notoriously difficult to ensure compliance with.
Employers need to be aware that the NMW can be enforced by HM Revenue & Customs. As at 7 June 2007, there are seventy one full time NMW compliance officers and nine part time compliance officers located in sixty NMW compliance teams. These officers can carry out inspections at any time, without providing a reason, and can require employers to produce records and provide other information in order to determine entitlement to NMW. Where it appears that the employer has failed to pay the NMW, the officers can issue an enforcement notice requiring the employer to pay the NMW and make up past under payments. This is, therefore, a significant risk. Do contact us for more information.
Contact the Follett Stock Employment team on 01872 241700 to find out more about national minimum wage compliance.