14 December 2021
Latest NHBF update – 14 December 2021
This week’s update covers:
- Over 200 employers called out for falling short of paying staff the minimum wage
- NHS Covid pass
- 12 ways to ensure your Christmas won’t cost the earth!
- COVID-19 guidance
Over 200 employers called out for falling short of paying staff the minimum wage
Over 200 employers were named and shamed by government for failing to pay their lowest paid staff the minimum wage.
The 208 employers were found to have failed to pay their workers £1.2 million in a clear breach of National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, leaving around 12,000 workers out of pocket.
Whilst not all minimum wage underpayments are intentional, there is no excuse for underpaying workers. Clear guidance for employers on pay is available on GOV.UK, and today the government has published additional advice about breaches and the steps employers should take to make sure they pay their workers correctly:
National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme: Round 18, 9 December 2021, educational bulletin (PDF, 530 KB, 8 pages).
The government has been clear that anyone entitled to be paid the minimum wage should receive it, and that robust enforcement action will be taken against employers who do not pay their staff correctly. Since 2015, the budget for minimum wage enforcement has doubled with the government having ordered employers to repay over £100 million to 1 million workers.
Read full press release
NHS Covid pass
From Wednesday 15 December, visitors will be required to show their NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry to certain venues and events in England (please note, this won't be required for close contact services). People can acquire an NHS COVID Pass via two full doses of vaccination, or proof of a negative test in the last 48 hours.
Certification will be required in:
- All nightclubs, dance halls and discotheques, and any other venue that:
- is open between 1am and 5am;
- serves alcohol during this period;
- has a dance floor or space for dancing to be used by members of the public; and,
- provides music for dancing
- indoor events with 500 or more attendees where attendees are likely to stand or move around for all or part of the event;
- outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees where attendees are likely to stand or move around for all or part of the event; and,
- very large events with 10,000 or more attendees, irrespective of how many attendees are seated.
12 ways to ensure your Christmas won’t cost the earth!
At this time of year, we generate more waste than any other time. One example is the amount of cardboard packaging we produce is approximately 300,000 tonnes, enough to wrap the London Eye 50,000 times according to Recycle Now.
Click here for 12 simple steps to make your Christmas greener.
COVID-19 guidance
Read our four nations’ FAQs which include links to the latest government guidance that must be followed.
Members can call our membership team, Monday-Friday, 9-5, on 01234 831965. Please be patient due to the extremely high level of calls we are currently getting.
For legal advice, Members can login to get our 24/7 legal helpline number. Again, please be patient. The legal team is also dealing with a considerable number of calls.