Council failed to pay minimum wage to 36 workers

An investigation has found that Walsall Council failed to pay dozens of workers the national minimum wage.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said the authority illegally underpaid 36 members of staff, who collectively missed out on £21,890.67 in wages.

The national minimum wage is currently £12.21 an hour for people aged 21 and over and is due to rise to £12.71 next month.

Walsall Council said it had since paid employees the full amount owed "at the earliest possible opportunity" and accepted all determinations made following HMRC's probe.

The authority said: "All outstanding payments were made to affected employees at the earliest possible opportunity through the next available payroll run with a total cost of £21,890.67.

"HMRC also noted the council's willingness to engage throughout the process, as well as the high level of co-operation shown during the investigation."

The local authority, which employs about 3,000 people, ranked 33rd out of 389 employers underpaying workers, as featured on a national DBT list of amounts that were owed. Walsall was the only council to appear.

Several West Midlands companies also featured on the list.

Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd, based in Burntwood, Staffordshire, failed to pay £485,374.05 to 9,056 workers - the fourth highest amount.

Jooced Custom Sound & Vision Ltd in Wolverhampton underpaid five workers by £13,986.67, a sum ranking 51st.

Manor Court Healthcare Ltd, Walsall, failed to pay £5,527.70 to 32 workers, an amount placing 102nd.

Wm. Wheat & Son Ltd in Walsall underpaid 31 workers by £2,539.22, a sum ranking 169th on the list.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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