Wigan Warriors respond after being named on UK Government's "rogue employers" list

Wigan Warriors have blamed a "clerical oversight" after being named in the UK Government's "rogue employers" list for failing to pay the minimum wage.
Wigan's Robin Park HQWigan's Robin Park HQ
Wigan's Robin Park HQ

The Super League club is among 139 UK employers, including household names such as Tesco and Pizza Hut, named by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) following investigations by HMRC between 2016 and '18.

Wigan failed to pay £4,559.24 to one worker.

The club said the oversight was corrected and claimed HMRC recognised there was "no intent to deceive or obstruct".

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A statement by the club read: "During 2017 Wigan Rugby League Club Ltd was selected as part of HMRC’s routine monitoring procedures for a full review and audit of its compliance with National Minimum Wage Regulations. The company provided HMRC with full and transparent access to the company’s records during their review.

“During the course of HMRC’s audit, one administrative employee was found to not have been paid in accordance with NMW regulations for a short period during 2017. This had been caused by a clerical oversight at the time the individual commenced employment with the company. The company quickly responded to the situation and carried out a full investigation into the circumstances that led to the oversight.

“It was quickly ascertained that the oversight was an isolated incident. The situation with the employee in question was immediately corrected, including making up full pay in line with NMW for the period in question. Systems and procedures have since been updated to ensure that such an oversight would not occur again in the future.

“HMRC’s audit found the company to be fully compliant with National Minimum Wage regulations in all other areas and recognised that there was no intent to deceive or obstruct.

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“Wigan Rugby League Club Ltd takes the National Minimum Wage Regulations extremely seriously and recognises that we have a clear responsibility as an employer to ensure the company complies with these regulations.”

Each of the companies named on the list have now paid back their workers - a combined total of £6.7m - and were forced to pay financial penalties.

Business Minister Paul Scully said: "Paying the minimum wage is not optional, it is the law.

"This should serve as a wake-up call to named employers and a reminder to everyone of the importance of paying workers what they are legally entitled to.

"Make no mistake, those who fail to follow minimum wage rules will be caught out and made to pay up."