A BROMSGROVE playgroup is one of nearly 400 companies across the UK that have been named and shamed for illegally underpaying workers.
Sidemoor Pre-School Playgroup has been found to have failed to pay £807.70 to seven workers.
The withheld cash has been directly repaid as part of the latest Government crackdown on those who fail to pay the minimum wage.
The seven workers at the playgroup are among thousands of hard-working Brits who have been denied over £7.3million by their employers.
New figures show a total of around £12.6million in penalties have been issued to 389 employers, including Sidemoor Pre-School Playgroup, with these fines coming on top of the repaid wages.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said: “The vast majority of businesses in this country do the right thing by paying their staff properly and playing by the rules.
“It’s not fair on them when others are able to get ahead by not paying the wages their workers are owed.
“A good employer doesn’t build their business on the back of unpaid wages, and I look forward to working with the new Fair Work Agency to ensure its powers are used to crack down on those who think the rules don’t apply to them.”
Pre-School’s response
The manager of Sidemoor Pre-School, Toni Cooke, said the issues lay with the wording of the contract as the annual salaries, although for 52 weeks, only covered 38 weeks when the employees were working.
“This was due to staff not working during the school holidays.
“When the issue was raised, appropriate action was taken and the contracts were adjusted.
“Our staff receive at least the minimum wage for the hours they work. Some are above that level of pay.”
