Nine NI Firms Fined For Underpaying Workers

Nine Northern Irish businesses are amongst 191 UK businesses to be "named and shamed" for underpaying their employees.

Following investigations by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, a total of £2.1 million was found to be owed to over 34,000 workers.

The breaches took place between 2011 and 2018. Named employers have since been made to pay back what they owed, and were fined an additional £3.2 million, showing it is never acceptable to underpay workers.

In Northern Ireland, more than 400 workers were underpaid by a total of £72,000. The offending companies were fined a total of £91,000 for breaching the law.

The full list of employers in Northern Ireland is:

• Sword Security (N.I.) Ltd (now under new ownership), Belfast, BT7, failed to pay £44,280.74 to 160 workers

• Eishtec UK Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, BT66, failed to pay £12,504.46 to 157 workers

• Noonan Services Group (NI) Limited - Dissolved, Belfast, BT3, failed to pay £4,617.17 to 79 workers

• Newry Crash Repair Centre Ltd, Newry, Mourne and Down, BT35, failed to pay £3,438.61 to six workers

• City Auto Repairs Ltd, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, BT60, failed to pay £2,185.07 to three workers

• Phillips (Lisburn) Limited, Lisburn and Castlereagh, BT27, failed to pay £2,147.33 to one worker

• Belfast Service Centre Limited, Belfast, BT5, failed to pay £1,377.61 to three workers

• Mr John Maxwell, trading as Eurofix Car Repairs, Belfast, BT17, failed to pay £872.58 to two workers

• Mr Harold Todd, trading as H T Motors, Antrim and Newtownabbey, BT39, failed to pay £537.84 to one worker.

Business Minister Paul Scully said: "Our minimum wage laws are there to ensure a fair day's work gets a fair day's pay – it is unacceptable for any company to come up short.

"All employers, including those on this list, need to pay workers properly.

"This government will continue to protect workers' rights vigilantly, and employers that short-change workers won't get off lightly."

Chair of the Low Pay Commission Bryan Sanderson also said: "These are very difficult times for all workers, particularly those on low pay who are often undertaking critical tasks in a variety of key sectors including care. The minimum wage provides a crucial level of support and compliance is essential for the benefit of both the recipients and our society as a whole."