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Less than minimum wage?

Liz3yy
Liz3yy Posts: 1,301 Forumite
Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
in Employment, jobseeking & training
My partner went for an interview this week at a local firm, it was for a carpentry job. They offered OH the job but were only prepared to pay £5,60 an hour, I thought the minimum wage was 20p more than that? I wouldn't mind but OH is 44, not some teenager with no job experience!

It's not legal to offer such a low wage surely? needless to say OH turned the job down!
They have the internet on computers now?! - Homer Simpson

It's always better to be late in this life, than early in the next
«1345

Comments

  • wontfallforit
    wontfallforit Posts: 685 Forumite
    Liz3yy wrote: »
    My partner went for an interview this week at a local firm, it was for a carpentry job. They offered OH the job but were only prepared to pay £5,60 an hour, I thought the minimum wage was 20p more than that? I wouldn't mind but OH is 44, not some teenager with no job experience!

    It's not legal to offer such a low wage surely? needless to say OH turned the job down!

    Shocking. You thought right. Do you live in mainland UK?

    Here's some info on min. wage: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Pay/DG_10027201

    And this page outlines the exceptions to it: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1074403806
    £1 / 50p 2011 holiday flight + hotel expenses = £98.50/£600

    HSBC 8% 12mth regular savings = £80 out of a maximum remaining allowance of £2500

    "3 months' salary" reserve = £00 / £3600 :eek:
  • Liz3yy
    Liz3yy Posts: 1,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Yes we are in mainland UK, when challenged about the low wage the company didn't have a lot to say about it.
    They have the internet on computers now?! - Homer Simpson

    It's always better to be late in this life, than early in the next
  • alenax
    alenax Posts: 303 Forumite
    Liz3yy wrote: »
    Yes we are in mainland UK, when challenged about the low wage the company didn't have a lot to say about it.

    What do you mean by "didn't have a lot to say about it"? Did they admit they were paying under minimum wage? Did they say it was an error or...?
  • Andy_L
    Andy_L Posts: 13,068 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If it's an hourly paid job then, assuming they are paying you for holidays then yes, the quoted hourly rate can be less than the NMW as long as when you recalculate ignoring holidays its still above NMW.
  • Liz3yy
    Liz3yy Posts: 1,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Andy_L wrote: »
    If it's an hourly paid job then, assuming they are paying you for holidays then yes, the quoted hourly rate can be less than the NMW as long as when you recalculate ignoring holidays its still above NMW.

    this is lizzie's OH.

    basically its a 45 hour week, one half hour lunch break, which is paid, and there are no morning/afternoon breaks. You can however have tea/coffee whenever you wish by your bench while you work.

    No error was made, they did however state that it would raise to £6.30ph after 3 months. I just fail to see how they can pay so low as all The workshop is, essentially, is a garden shed at the bottom of their garden!

    Clive
    They have the internet on computers now?! - Homer Simpson

    It's always better to be late in this life, than early in the next
  • jfdi
    jfdi Posts: 1,031 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Does the 45 hour week include or exclude the 'paid' 30 mins at lunch?
    :mad: :j:D:beer::eek::A:p:rotfl::cool::):(:T
  • Druagh
    Druagh Posts: 93 Forumite
    Lizzie & Clive,

    Was this job advertised in the local Jobcentre, or anywhere else?

    Drew
  • Liz3yy
    Liz3yy Posts: 1,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    The job was advertised in our local paper as far as I know
    They have the internet on computers now?! - Homer Simpson

    It's always better to be late in this life, than early in the next
  • rictus123
    rictus123 Posts: 2,560 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Name Dropper
    Erm is it not apprentice rates?
    Work in progress...Update coming July 2012.
  • anamenottaken
    anamenottaken Posts: 4,198 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Andy_L wrote: »
    If it's an hourly paid job then, assuming they are paying you for holidays then yes, the quoted hourly rate can be less than the NMW as long as when you recalculate ignoring holidays its still above NMW.

    Wrong. Paid holidays are paid at the same rate as worked hours and all hours have to be at least at the NMW.
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