Government publishes guidance on national minimum wage for interns
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published guidance, as announced in the Government's social mobility strategy, that provides clarity on the national minimum wage for employers that offer work experience, placements and internships.
The updated guidance provides information on the obligation to pay interns and work experience students the national minimum wage and clarifies when an individual is entitled to be paid the national minimum wage. It also includes a new worker checklist for employers and examples of case studies, to help ensure that those who are entitled to the national minimum wage receive it.
The guidance confirms that entitlement to the national minimum wage does not depend on an individual's job title but on whether the arrangement that he or she has with an organisation makes him or her a "worker" for national minimum wage purposes. Where an individual is a worker and no exemption applies he or she must be paid at least the national minimum wage.
- Employers and interns get clarity on minimum wage View the full announcement by BIS on its website.
- National minimum wage The full guidance is available on the Business Link website.
Also
The following questions on interns and work experience students are included in the HR & Compliance Centre FAQs section:
- Are interns entitled to the national minimum wage?
- Can an intern waive his or her right to be paid the national minimum wage?
- Are students undertaking work experience entitled to the national minimum wage?
- Are employers required to pay school children on work experience the national minimum wage?
Work experience and internship survey 2011: what are the benefits? Four in 10 employers offering work experience for students and graduates do not normally pay them a wage, according to the findings of this HR & Compliance Centre survey.
The national minimum wage section of the HR & Compliance Centre employment law manual explains the current law on employers' obligations in relation to the national minimum wage.
