The Recruitment and employment Confederation (REC) have advised the government to name and shame firms running poor travel and subsistence schemes. Last week current Employment Minister Ed Davey announced that as of January next year any cases of employers found to be in breach of the current national minimum wage laws will be publicised.
With the scheme in place employers would be given 3 months to get their act together if they were found to be flouting the existing rules.
REC have found the need to voice their concerns as existing travel and subsistence schemes impact directly on the recruitment sector. Given the current climate, where the workforce is already hard pressed, REC views publicity against unlawful running of subsistence schemes as a useful weapon. This coupled with the ongoing GLA blitzkrieg against worker exploitation is certainly leveling the playing field like never before.
Sally Hewick, chair of REC industrial has also commented that: “The government’s plans to expose employers who don’t follow the rules, should be extended to travel and subsistence schemes if we want to ensure high standards and services valued for by our clients. We had called for facts and figures by the HMRC on providers examined and the levels of revenue collected through compliance before.”
