Furlough and Minimum Wage Rise

JInSuffolk

Before the coronavirus kicked off I was on just above the minimum wage (£16,025) but the subsequent changes to the minimum wage rules means that for the number of hours that I work the minimum wage, my salary would have to be increased to a minimum of £16,800 to be above the minimum wage. 

The company agreed for the month of March and going forward to pay 100% of our salary, made up of 80% government furlough and the company paying the remaining 20% of the wage, which is fair enough and they didn't have to do that.

The company has now said that they will not be issuing the minimum wage increases to our payslips until the pandemic is over, so our pay will be frozen below the minimum wage levels, since the increase does not apply because of rules in the furlough scheme, but we would still get 100% of the pay before the increase.

What I'm asking here, is that should the company be paying us based on the new minimum wage amount for our hours -  I'm aware that my company has been more generous than many and it would be better to have 100% of the old salary than 80% of the newer salary but just curious for how this works so I know the lay of the land. 

Jeremy535897

If you are on furlough, NMW only applies to hours you spend on doing training required by your employer. You are not otherwise working any hours, so there is nothing to apply NMW to.

bradders1983

Indeed. You are working 0 hours.