Workers Rights Helpline gets 50,000 Calls

Pay and Work Rights Helpline

More than 50,000 people have called a government helpline on workers’ rights since it launched in September and last week launched a video on YouTube giving advice for employees on basic work rights. View video here.

Source: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)

The Pay and Work Rights Helpline offers support and advice on minimum wage pay, a 48-hour working week and unfair deductions. It provides a single point of contact for issues that are dealt with by several government agencies, including HM Revenue & Customs, the Health and Safety Executive, Defra, BIS, and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.

The most common cause for concern is the National Minimum Wage, making up 68 per cent of all calls received by the helpline. Working hour limits and agency worker rules are other common areas for queries.

Employment relations minister Lord Young said: “It is encouraging that so many have been assisted by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline since the launch. Workers and employers across industries should be aware of rights when it comes to work and pay and the helpline is there to offer people help, advice and support in knowing these rights. Where workers themselves are not confident to call the helpline, it is encouraging to see that friends and family are there to offer their support.”

His last point is illustrated by the fact that 12 per cent of calls were received from somebody other than the employee, often concerned friends or family members of an individual affected.

Ed Says; “In Edx3 we have inbuilt alerts for national minimum wage plus an ‘Opt out’ letter template for employees whose average hours are 48 or more.

If in your case you believe you have ‘exceptions’, i.e. accommodation costs or other related employment costs allowing you to pay less than the minimum wage, I strongly recommend you check this out asap as the process is quite complex and will be assessed on a case by case basis.

The only tool that I could find to help in these circumstances was on the Business Link website called the

‘National Minimum Wage entitlement, rates and arrears checker’

Click this link for details. It is not very user friendly but the only online tool available.

For my EDx3 clients I strongly recommend you record on your system details of the reasons you have for exception.