Championship teams warned about paying minimum wage

[chaileyjem]

..and Prem League teams..
(NB: There's no mention or suggestion in the article that Albion have been reported although they will be receiving a letter from the HMRC)

From The Guardian today:
Football clubs warned to pay staff minimum wage

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/19/football-clubs-minimum-wage-hmrc
Tax inspectors will be writing to dozens of top flight British football clubs to warn them they must pay the minimum wage to a retinue of match staff including mascots, physio interns and ball boy supervisors, or face a £5,000 fine and potential prosecution.
HM Revenue and Customs will send letters to 44 Premier League and Championship clubs on Tuesday warning that its inspectors will begin a series of "targeted checks" after receiving evidence about workplace exploitation in some of the UK's wealthiest businesses.
HMRC said it was taking "pre-emptive action" at the start of the new season to put a stop to unlawful activity and said its intelligence included complaints about non-payment from more than one current serving club mascot.
Revenue and Customs said it could not give further details but in April Reading and Swansea were found to be advertising for unpaid interns, including one post which lasted a year and did not even include reimbursement for expenses.
Under national minimum wage laws it is illegal not to pay those classed as workers and there is no separate exemption for those undertaking work experience.
Scores of adverts for unpaid positions have appeared on the website of UK Sport, a quango that has received public and lottery funding to the tune of £500m.
A performance analyst at Swansea claimed he was not paid despite working days of more than 12 hours on occasion and having to meeting tight deadlines for the club. Swansea FC said it was now paying all of its staff, including its mascot, Cyril the Swan.

 

[spring hall convert]

Quite simply disgraceful. The cheek of it when you see the sums the players are earning.

 

[BuddyBoy]

Good to see this, but minimum wage is sod all anyway. I'd want this to go further and see clubs paying all staff at least a living wage of £7.50 an hour.

 

[maltaseagull]

Good to see this, but minimum wage is sod all anyway. I'd want this to go further and see clubs paying all staff at least a living wage of £7.50 an hour.

That would make us meet FFP - Players on £7.50 an hour

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Good to see this, but minimum wage is sod all anyway. I'd want this to go further and see clubs paying all staff at least a living wage of £7.50 an hour.

Well said.

 

[dougdeep]

I'd have thought this would more than likely be Northern clubs where the wages and cost of living is lower. I can't see many youngsters down here getting out of bed for less than the minimum wage.

 

[beorhthelm]

I can't see many youngsters down here getting out of bed for less than the minimum wage.

i can see youngsters anywhere getting out of bed to be mascots, ball boy supervisors or interns for free, just to get in for free or put something on their CV. im surprised they arent volunteers. in the case of interns, its normal to not be paid at all, so this all seems a bit odd.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

... in the case of interns, its normal to not be paid at all, so this all seems a bit odd.

Normal, maybe. But not legal.