| Iceland offered employees the chance to pay into a Christmas Club scheme, where they could put money aside over the course of the year towards Christmas expenses. £3.7 million of wages were saved this way.
However, because the cash was deducted before it reached staff, it pushed some staff below the minimum wage threshold. Iceland are not the first business to be named and shamed for failing to pay the minimum wage. Wagamama, had the largest underpayment, which they blamed on rules regarding employees uniform. Debenhams was fined £63,000 for minimum wage breaches in 2017. If you have any questions about how benefits or schemes could affect the minimum wage then please contact us now. |