Government pledges further support to protect interns’ rights to fair pay

Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson has announced the release of new guidance produced by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), as a part of the Government's ongoing campaign to protect the interns' right to fair pay.

According to a news release on the matter, the refreshed guidance will include a new video and posters developed by 4Talent — Channel 4′s in-house scheme offering internships and apprenticeships for young people looking for a career in the creative industries.

They will clearly explain to people leaving education and making their first step on the career ladder what their rights are in relation to being paid the National Minimum Wage (NMW), where to go for more information and what action they can take if they feel they have been exploited. Information available to young people will also be boosted online and through social media such as the NMW Facebook page.

Plus, in order to further enforce the aforementioned measures, the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) who enforce NMW on behalf of BIS, will be sending out letters to 200 employers who have recently advertised intern opportunities and unpaid work.

The letters will alert businesses that HMRC will shortly be carrying out a series of targeted checks to make sure employers who have advertised internships are paying all their workers the correct NMW rate.

In order to ensure that their interns receive the correct pay package and also in order to avoid any penalties or fines from the HMRC, employers who offer paid internships should also have a very solid and reliable time and attendance system in place, and this is specifically where Tensor plc could put its extensive experience to very good use.

Our solid and very reliable, yet quite affordable platforms enable employers to save and quickly access a huge array of information pertaining to any specific employee's activity. Moreover, by permanently monitoring the interns' and/or apprentices' time on site, HR managers will be able to make sure that they're not working more than they should, according to existing regulations.

If you'd like to find out more about the extensive range of time and attendance and personnel management solutions supplied by Tensor, just get in touch or Book a Demo, we'd be more than happy to answer any questions or queries you might have.