Monsoon Accessorize named for failing to pay minimum wage
Fashion retailer Monsoon Accessorize has been named and shamed by the government as the worst offender when it comes to paying staff the minimum wage.
The company had been requiring staff to wear its own brand clothing - but while they could buy this at a 25% discount, the money was taken out of their wages, leaving 1,438 workers effectively getting less than the minimum wage, currently £6.70 per hour for the over-21s. More than a quarter of staff were affected.
The retailer has since changed its practices but it will now have to repay the staff it short-changed, who will get around £73 each.
"I am particularly saddened to see Monsoon Accessorize acting in breach of the law," says TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady.
"A large firm with thousands of employees has no excuse for not having proper systems in place to ensure staff get their legal wages."
But Monsoon Accessorize is not the only company to be underpaying its staff. Tyne & Wear Riding for the Disabled Association was found to have underpaid six workers to the tune of £27,152, while Project Security UK Ltd owes £23,857 to 18 staff.
Carl Keith Salons Ltd will have to pay £20,535 to five workers, and nine people at Cornwall Glass & Glazing Ltd will share £14,254.
"Employers that fail to pay the minimum wage hurt the living standards of the lowest paid and their families," says business minister Nick Boles.
"As a one nation government on the side of working people we are determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage receives it."
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However, O'Grady believes that the government list is only the tip of the iceberg. According to the TUC's own research, companies have a number of ways of cheating the system.
These include under-recording working hours so that the paperwork appears correct; falsely labelling workers as self-employed, interns or volunteers; using dodgy piece-rates that set impossible targets; and, as in the case of Monsoon, forcing workers to pay for uniforms, tools, training or travel.
In social care, some companies don't cover travel time between home-care visits or for sleep-ins in residential homes. There are also a number of dodgy practices surrounding zero-hours contracts, and on accommodation offset rules.
"Many more employers are getting away with illegal underpayment," she says. "The government must continue to increase enforcement of the minimum wage, and ensure that all workers get what they are owed. Bosses who try to duck the minimum wage should have nowhere to hide."
See the 115 employers named today:
1. Monsoon Accessorize Ltd, London W11, neglected to pay £104,507.83 to 1438 workers
2. Tyne & Wear Riding for the Disabled Association, trading as Washington Riding Centre, Washington, neglected to pay £27,151.79 to 6 workers
3. Project Security UK Ltd, Doncaster, neglected to pay £23,857.11 to 18 workers
4. Carl Keith Salons Ltd, Prescot, neglected to pay £20,535.03 to 5 workers
5. Cornwall Glass & Glazing Ltd, trading as Exeter & MacKenzie Glass Centre, Exeter, neglected to pay £14,253.66 to 9 workers
6. Mr Gholam Ghiassi, Chaigley, neglected to pay £14,208.40 to 2 workers
7. Helen Woodend, trading as New Brooms, Burton-in-Kendal, neglected to pay £13,447.01 to 14 workers
8. Stoke College Educational Trust Ltd, trading as Stoke College, Sudbury, neglected to pay £12,094.83 to 7 workers
9. Village Garage Engineers Ltd, trading as Village Garage, Plean, neglected to pay £9,159.80 to 3 workers
10. Aspect Plumbing & Heating Ltd, trading as Aspect Plumbing & Heating, Liverpool, neglected to pay £8,280.45 to 1 worker
11. D A Elliott Farriers Ltd, Whitby, neglected to pay £7,516.44 to 3 workers
12. Solex Systems Ltd (ceased trading), Broughton, neglected to pay £5,978.17 to 3 workers
13. Ian Balfour & Caroline Balfour, trading as A E Taxis, Kirkcaldy, neglected to pay £4,757.59 to 3 workers
14. Westbrookes Property Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £4,661.73 to 9 workers
15. Spirit Pub Company (Services) Ltd, Burton on Trent, neglected to pay £4,629.14 to 1 worker
16. North Tyneside Learning Trust, trading as Woodlawn Special School, West Monkseaton, neglected to pay £4,312.19 to 1 worker
17. Frederick Evans & Laureen Evans, trading as Manston Riding Centre, Ramsgate, neglected to pay £4,142.83 to 1 worker
18. Continental Meat Supply Ltd, London SE17, neglected to pay £3,922.59 to 1 worker
19. Greenwoods Hotel Management Ltd, trading as Greenwoods Hotel and Spa, Stock, neglected to pay £3,545.18 to 2 workers
20. Supreme Care Services Ltd, Morden, neglected to pay £3,528.64 to 1 worker
21. Margaret Jankowitz, trading as The Beeches Hair Studio, Clydebank, neglected to pay £3,283.36 to 3 workers
22. Paterson SA Ltd, trading as Paterson SA Hairdressing, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £3,216.50 to 15 workers
23. The RHU Ltd, Burgess Hill, neglected to pay £3,166.11 to 1 worker
24. Mr Prakash Dattani, trading as Interpharm Chemist, Leicester, neglected to pay £3,077.55 to 2 workers
25. SEM Electrical Ltd, Darlington, neglected to pay £2,666.09 to 1 worker
26. Susan Beeks, trading as Waterside Hair & Beauty, Harmondsworth, neglected to pay £2,662.49 to 1 worker
27. Bennett Homes Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £2,659.96 to 2 workers
28. Andrew Warburton & Theresa Warburton, trading as Alesha Paul Hair Design, Manchester, neglected to pay £2,633.54 to 1 worker
29. Subway Universal Ltd, trading as Subway, (Morden, Barbican, Richmond, Twickenham), London, neglected to pay £2,466.77 to 10 workers
30. Elgan Davies Ltd, Cardigan, neglected to pay £2,312.62 to 1 worker
31. C & R Tyres Ltd, Kelso, neglected to pay £2,261.60 to 3 workers
32. AutoPanels North East Ltd, Chester le Street, neglected to pay £2,101.59 to 1 worker
33. Giscombe Brown Ltd, trading as Nuba Hair & Beauty, Sheffield, neglected to pay £2,071.68 to 2 workers
34. SCC Leisure Ltd, trading as Bar Soba, Glasgow, neglected to pay £2,015.82 to 1 worker
35. Charsi Tikka Ltd, London E7, neglected to pay £1,823.19 to 1 worker
36. Claire Beaty, trading as Innovations Hair Design, Windsor, neglected to pay £1,765.19 to 1 worker
37. Mr Bernard Camish, Mrs Carol Camish, Mr James Coles & Mrs Ria Coles, trading as The Poplars, Trowbridge, neglected to pay £1,748.31 to 1 worker
38. Nichola Crosby, trading as Beyond The Fringe, Cwmbran, neglected to pay £1,687.91 to 1 worker
39. Paul Scully Ltd, trading as Scully Scully, Godalming, neglected to pay £1,660.85 to 1 worker
41. Your Leisure Kent Ltd, trading as Tides Leisure & Indoor Tennis Centre, Deal, neglected to pay £1,619.95 to 1 worker
42. Cross Electrical Ltd, Surbiton, neglected to pay £1,597.41 to 1 worker
43. March Hair Plymouth Ltd, Plymouth, neglected to pay £1,590.98 to 2 workers
44. Carole Eustace & Mark Eustace, trading as Westfield Court Hotel, Sutton Coldfield, neglected to pay £1,510.78 to 1 worker
45. Affinity Dental Ltd, Rochdale, neglected to pay £1,452.02 to 1 worker
46. Norma Clark Hair & Beauty Ltd, Glasgow, neglected to pay £1,391.32 to 1 worker
47. Young Men's Christian Association Bargoed and District Branch, Bargoed, neglected to pay £1,372.12 to 1 worker
48. Capital Care Services (UK) Ltd, London E18, neglected to pay £1,298.83 to 2 workers
49. Assess to Progress Ltd, Pudsey, neglected to pay £1,286.76 to 3 workers
50. Givehand Ltd, London E17, neglected to pay £1,281.89 to 2 workers
51. Studio Fifty Six (Christchurch) Ltd, Christchurch, neglected to pay £1,243.82 to 2 workers
52. Little Apple Ltd, trading as Sileby Day Nursery, Leicester, neglected to pay £1,229.21 to 2 workers
53. Complete Joinery Midlands Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £1,175.73 to 1 worker
54. Printer Cartridge Supplies Ltd, Redruth, neglected to pay £1,096.19 to 1 worker
55. Anthony Williamson, Salvatore Bifulco, Tracey Caswell & Leo Bifulco, trading as Your Lifestyle LLP, Gloucester, neglected to pay £1,092.85 to 16 workers
56. Ellenborough Park Ltd, trading as Ellenborough Park Hotel, Cheltenham, neglected to pay £1,084.01 to 1 worker
57. PCC UK International Ltd, trading as We Love Laptops, Lostock, neglected to pay £1,079.07 to 3 workers
58. Metro Surveillance Group Ltd, Cookstown, neglected to pay £1,059.35 to 1 worker
59. Joe Allen, trading as Joe Allen Electrical Contractors, Newark, neglected to pay £1,052.51 to 1 worker
60. Leo Mancini Ltd, Ascot, neglected to pay £1,022.83 to 1 worker
61. Sue Kramer, trading as Hillcrest Montessori Nursery School, Coulsdon, neglected to pay £1,018.79 to 1 worker
62. Robert Huggett, trading as Robert & Sheron, Midhurst, neglected to pay £962.38 to 1 worker
63. Christopher Spry Ltd, trading as Christopher Spry Hairdressers, Norwich, neglected to pay £931.54 to 1 worker
64. Cannon Services (UK) Ltd, Aylesford, neglected to pay £871.03 to 1 worker
65. Hyde Park Food Ltd, trading as Chicken Valley, London W12, neglected to pay £820.80 to 1 worker
66. LS&R Ltd, trading as Omega Business Supplies, Stockport, neglected to pay £784.92 to 1 worker
67. Waters & Sons Independent Funeral Directors Ltd, Southampton, neglected to pay £768.51 to 1 worker
68. Xercise4less (Wakefield) Ltd, Wakefield, neglected to pay £751.29 to 1 worker
69. Rasheed Mustafa, trading as Riverstone Property, Crawley, neglected to pay £742.91 to 1 worker
70. KJM Autos Ltd, Hengoed, neglected to pay £736.12 to 1 worker
71. MAC Repair Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £715.68 to 1 worker
72. Meden Courier Services Ltd, Mansfield, neglected to pay £684.59 to 3 workers
73. Lynsey Sellars, trading as La Belle Health & Beauty, Leeds, neglected to pay £659.40 to 1 worker
74. Ground Events Ltd, trading as The Playground, London N15, neglected to pay £624.00 to 1 worker
75. Ceredigion Couriers Ltd, Machynlleth, neglected to pay £620.55 to 1 worker
76. Strathmore Hotels Ltd, trading as Royal Hotel, Argyll, and Salutation Hotel, Perth, neglected to pay £609.97 to 2 workers
77. Duval Security Ltd, Derby, neglected to pay £520.00 to 1 worker
78. ENA Ltd, trading as ENA Salon, London WC2B, neglected to pay 79. U & T Ltd, trading as The Sweet Spot, Hamilton, neglected to pay £482.64 to 2 workers
80. Lee Nixon, trading as Mediabox Productions, Nottingham, neglected to pay £468.00 to 1 worker
81. Christopher Whiteside, trading as The Hair Workshop, Lytham St Annes, neglected to pay £457.58 to 1 worker
82. Findme4u Ltd, London SE12, neglected to pay £442.26 to 1 worker
83. The Square Bar & Restaurant Ltd, Harrogate, neglected to pay £437.02 to 1 worker
84. Wyin Innovations, Croydon, neglected to pay £417.51 to 1 worker
85. Nightingale Social Care Staffing Agency Ltd, Barnsley, neglected to pay £405.47 to 1 worker
86. Top Quote Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £391.89 to 1 worker
87. Greg Heywood, trading as Vineyard King, Northampton, neglected to pay £353.93 to 1 worker
88. Allen Avenue Ltd, Croydon, neglected to pay £347.24 to 1 worker
89. Storm Commercials Ltd, Monk Bretton, neglected to pay £342.40 to 1 worker
90. Michelle Marklow, trading as Shellies Flowers, Birmingham, neglected to pay £323.09 to 1 worker
91. Sam Clackmannan (Scotland) Ltd, trading as Samantha Blues Hairdressing, Clackmannan, neglected to pay £319.29 to 1 worker
92. Cocouk Ltd, trading as Le Dermex, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £305.50 to 1 worker
93. Forward Life Ltd, Swansea, neglected to pay £286.00 to 1 worker
94. Direct Windows & Conservatories (Staffordshire) Ltd, trading as Direct Windows & Conservatories, Stoke-on-Trent, neglected to pay £274.70 to 1 worker
95. Impresstech Ltd, trading as Best One (ceased trading April 2014), London SW2, neglected to pay £272.34 to 1 worker
96. International Business Action Ltd, trading as County Hand Car Wash, Morecambe, neglected to pay £266.50 to 1 worker
97. Susan Turner, trading as The Belle Air Hairdressing Salon, Wakefield, neglected to pay £261.91 to 2 workers
98. Commply (Yorkshire) Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £260.37 to 7 workers
99. The Court Hotel (Bromley) Ltd, Bromley, neglected to pay £230.67 to 3 workers
100. Sweetly Stevia (UK) Ltd, London SE16, neglected to pay £227.50 to 1 worker
101. The Spa in Lancing Ltd, trading as The Spa in Lancing, Lancing, neglected to pay £192.26 to 1 worker
102. Pimms Hair & Beauty Ltd, Aldershot, neglected to pay £178.22 to 2 workers
103. Danhouse Security Ltd, London W6, neglected to pay £161.83 to 2 workers
104. D K Forecourts Ltd, trading as Texaco Garage, Caerphilly, neglected to pay £156.00 to 1 worker
105. Coach Travel Wales Ltd, trading as Coach Travel Wales, Aberystwyth, neglected to pay £153.52 to 1 worker
106. D K Forecourts Ltd, trading as Pavilion Garage, Pontypool, neglected to pay £151.44 to 1 worker
107. Pilning Kings Arms Ltd (previous owners), trading as The Kings Arms, Bristol, neglected to pay £143.72 to 1 worker
108. Steve Efthimiou, trading as Mr Clutch, Luton, neglected to pay £135.24 to 1 worker
109. Urban Angels (Didsbury) Ltd, Didsbury, neglected to pay £133.19 to 1 worker
110. Huddleson Enterprises Ltd, trading as The Lock Keeper's Inn, Belfast, neglected to pay £132.35 to 7 workers
111. MLVH Ltd, trading as The Manor Hotel, Christchurch, neglected to pay £124.89 to 1 worker
112. Mark Gosling, trading as Regency Autos, Penarth, neglected to pay £116.76 to 1 worker
113. Bartek Deli Enterprise Ltd, trading as Polmar Supermarket, London W13, neglected to pay £110.50 to 1 worker
114. Mrs Mary Forbes, trading as Mary Forbes Hairdressing, Dundee, neglected to pay £106.44 to 1 worker
115. Cribs Estates Ltd, London SW19, neglected to pay £104.32 to 1 worker
