Local employers '˜named and shamed' on wages

A Portadown recruitment agency is among several Northern Ireland business '˜named and shamed' for failing to pay employees their proper wages.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Feb 2017, 17:52 BST
Updated 1st Mar 2017, 08:55 BST
HMRC has recovered wages owed and penaltied from errant firmsHMRC has recovered wages owed and penaltied from errant firms
HMRC has recovered wages owed and penaltied from errant firms

WH Recruitment failed to pay wages worth more than £26k to 143 workers.

The firm was the fifth worst offender of more than 350 employers across Britain and Northern Ireland named yesterday for underpaying the national minimum or living wage.

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According to the data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) more than 15,500 workers were underpaid more than £995,000 – with employers in hairdressing, hospitality and retail sectors the most prolific offenders.

In Northern Ireland, a total of 17 businesses failed to pay 219 workers more than £60,200.

They include Bennetts Seafood Bar & Grill in Warrenpoint, Co Down, which failed to pay £7,300 to 25 workers, and more than £1,400 owed to seven workers by Muldoon Transport Systems Ltd in Dungannon.

The list included for the first time employers who failed to pay eligible workers the new national living wage of £7.20 an hour for those aged 25 and over. As well as recovering arrears from employers, HMRC issued penalties worth around £800,000.

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A spokesman for WH Recruitment said: “We are a registered agency and put our hands up. This was to do with the accommodation offset regulation.”

The National Living Wage rate is currently £7.20 for workers aged 25 and over.

The list of businesses involved follows with the amount owed and number of employees affected

1. WH Recruitment, Portadown – £26,418.67 (143) 2. Sean Bennett of Bennetts Seafood Bar & Grill, Warrenpoint – £7,300.15 (25) 3. Boran-Mopack Ltd, Strabane – £6,779.05 (1) 4. Margaret Danks of Shine Hair Company, Belfast – £5,811.95 (1) 5. Fusion Heating Ltd, Moneyreagh – £4,353.69 (2) 6. Rumour Espresso Bar, Armagh – £1,779.85 (5) 7. Muldoon Transport Systems Ltd, Dungannon – £1,468.25 (7) 8. Causeway Coach Hire, Ballymoney – £1,307.50 (10) 9. Sammy Mellon and Sons Ltd, Bangor – £1,236 (1) 10. BC Plant Ltd, Hillsborough – £1,180.63 (5) 11. Villa Italia, Belfast – £928.41 (1) 12. Sohan S Kular Ltd, Custom House Restaurant, Derry – £365.16 (9) 13. Mark & Lynne McDowell of McDowell’s Butchers, Carrickfergus – £359.49 (3) 14. McHenry’s Central Bar Ltd, Ballycastle – £330.24 (1) 15. Curran Court Hotel Ltd (previous owners), Larne – £282.88 (3) 16. Creativ3 Merchandise Ltd, Carrickfergus – £268.18 (1) 17. McGrady Ltd, Downpatrick – £113.33 (1)

Related topics:Northern IrelandPortadownBritainHM Revenue and Customs