{"id":23387,"date":"2025-12-17T12:41:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T12:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.riaabarkergillette.com\/uk\/?p=23387"},"modified":"2025-12-17T12:41:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T12:41:12","slug":"mince-pies-and-the-minimum-wage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.riaabarkergillette.com\/uk\/mince-pies-and-the-minimum-wage\/","title":{"rendered":"Mince pies and the minimum wage\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As Christmas and New Year approach, many employers will rely on additional seasonal staff for shops, warehouses, hospitality outlets and delivery services.  It is crucial, however, not to overlook legal obligations around minimum wage and holiday pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those working \u2018Christmas jobs\u2019 – including part-time, temporary and zero-hours workers – are entitled to the same minimum hourly rates and holiday entitlements as other employees.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (as updated), almost all workers must receive 5.6 weeks\u2019 paid holiday a year, even if they work only seasonally, part-time, or irregular hours.  Holiday pay for those with irregular hours or part-year contracts should now be calculated using the 12.07% accrual method or, if using rolled-up holiday pay (permitted since April 2024), clearly identified on the payslip.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is especially important at this time of year: the extra shifts, longer working hours, and deductions for uniform or unsocial-hours premiums increase the risk of inadvertently slipping below the minimum wage or underestimating holiday pay.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 500 employers were recently fined more than \u00a310 million for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage, and \u00a36 million was put back into the pockets of workers following a crackdown as part of the Government\u2019s Plan for Change, and an open hotline for reporting underpayments to HMRC.\u00a0 These figures highlight the real risk, both financial and reputational, of non-compliance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seasonal staff can be a real asset during the festive period, but only if employers get the fundamentals right.\u00a0 This is the time to review pay, holiday entitlements and paperwork before the Christmas rush turns into a new year compliance crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checklist for employers\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n