[UK] Iconic sweetmaker fined for staff underpayments

In the UK, Swizzels Matlow has been fined and ordered to pay nearly £20,000 to hundreds of workers to whom it failed to pay the National Minimum Wage (NMW), BBC News reports.

The Derbyshire-based confectionery firm manufactures iconic British sweet brands including Love Hearts, Drumsticks and Parma Violets.

The UK Department for Business and Trade released a list of 389 employers it has fined and ordered to make up their NMW shortfall to affected staff. It reportedly revealed that Swizzels Matlow had failed to pay £19,961 to 437 workers but declined to disclose the fine amount.

The department did, however, state that the 389 employers’ total fines came to £12.6m.

Peter Kyle - the UK Business Secretary - 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."

Nici Matlow - Swizzels Matlow’s HR director - said, "A routine investigation in 2022 by the Department of Business and Trade found that a number of salaries inadvertently fell below minimum wage. These cases have all since been rectified.

"Although all salaries have consistently exceeded minimum wage, previously, where some individuals opted into salary sacrifice schemes, including childcare vouchers, cycle to work schemes and our social and tool clubs, salaries fell below the minimum wage threshold.

"These deductions have now been factored into our salaries, and we continue to strive to ensure all of our employees are paid the real living wage, something that has already been achieved for 95% of our team.

"In addition, time to change into personal protective equipment (PPE) ahead of their shift was not factored in. This has since been added for all employees."

Source: BBC News

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, Swizzels Matlow has been fined and ordered to pay nearly £20,000 to hundreds of workers to whom it failed to pay the National Minimum Wage (NMW), BBC News reports.

The Derbyshire-based confectionery firm manufactures iconic British sweet brands including Love Hearts, Drumsticks and Parma Violets.

The UK Department for Business and Trade released a list of 389 employers it has fined and ordered to make up their NMW shortfall to affected staff. It reportedly revealed that Swizzels Matlow had failed to pay £19,961 to 437 workers but declined to disclose the fine amount.

The department did, however, state that the 389 employers’ total fines came to £12.6m.

Peter Kyle - the UK Business Secretary - 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."

Nici Matlow - Swizzels Matlow’s HR director - said, "A routine investigation in 2022 by the Department of Business and Trade found that a number of salaries inadvertently fell below minimum wage. These cases have all since been rectified.

"Although all salaries have consistently exceeded minimum wage, previously, where some individuals opted into salary sacrifice schemes, including childcare vouchers, cycle to work schemes and our social and tool clubs, salaries fell below the minimum wage threshold.

"These deductions have now been factored into our salaries, and we continue to strive to ensure all of our employees are paid the real living wage, something that has already been achieved for 95% of our team.

"In addition, time to change into personal protective equipment (PPE) ahead of their shift was not factored in. This has since been added for all employees."

Source: BBC News

(Link and quotes via original reporting)