Walsall FC charity programme fined for not paying minimum wage

Employers including Walsall FC's charity programme and Birmingham University's fine arts institute have been fined for failing to pay workers the minimum wage.

The Saddlers' Community Programme and the university's Barber Institute are among 25 businesses to have been criticised for not paying the legal minimum.

The university was put on the list of shame because it paid a group of interns who had originally been taken on to do unpaid work.

Because the money it eventually chose to pay them was not the minimum wage, the institute it fell foul of the law. The football charity said its appearance on the list was down to 'human error' that as soon as it was notified that some staff had not had their full pay, was immediately rectified.

Lyng Pharmacy in West Bromwich and Premier Autos, a garage in Hednesford, are also on a list published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The garage said it had staff member who turned 21 and was eligible for more pay but as soon as they realised they paid what he was entitled to.

The Barber Institute neglected to pay £25,553.40 to 16 workers and was fined £5,000. Walsall FC Community Programme was second worst, with £9,353.63 not paid to six workers and was fined £4,624.98. Gurdal Ltd, which trades as Lyng Pharmacy, neglected to pay £4,120.94 to one person, resulting in a fine of £2,033.80 and Premier Autos neglected to pay £339.12 to one worker, resulting in a penalty of £167.88.

University of Birmingham spokeswoman Deborah Walker said: "This particular case relates to a historic programme of internships at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts which date back to 2008. Rather than being unpaid, as was normal practice for museum internships at the time a small amount of money was found to provide the interns with a bursary as a thank you gesture.

"It is as a result of providing this payment that the Barber inadvertently broke the rules."

Adam Davy, Walsall FC community director, said: "This was simply a human error that took place under a previous regime a number of years ago."

Philip Ashley, owner of Premier Autos, said: "We had a member of staff whose wages had to go up because of his birthday. As soon as we knew that we paid what we owed but we were still fined."