National Minimum Wage

National Minimum Wage
iv
Hours 53
Vacancies and Redundancies 54
Unemployment and Inactivity 55
Research on Employment, Hours and Unemployment 56
Views on Employment and Hours 59
Impact on Competitiveness 60
Productivity 61
Prices 63
Profits 66
Births and Deaths of Firms 67
Views on Competitiveness 69
Conclusion 72
3 Young People, Interns and Apprentices 73
Introduction 73
Young People 73
Youth Rates 74
Earnings 74
Labour Market Position 79
21 Year Olds 84
Interns 86
Apprentices 88
Apprenticeship Starts 88
Apprentice Hours and Pay 90
Impact of the Introduction of the Apprentice Rate 94
Conclusion 98
4 Compliance and Operation of the National Minimum Wage 101
Introduction 101
Operation of the National Minimum Wage – Simplification 101
A Simple and Straightforward National Minimum Wage 101
Evidence on Simplification 102
Agency Workers 104
Migrant Workers 105
Piece Rates 106
Unpaid Work: Internships, Work Experience and Volunteering 109
Care Workers 112
Guidance 113
Operation of the National Minimum Wage – Other Issues 114
Tips 114
Seafarers 115
Accommodation Offset 115
Abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales 117
Compliance and Enforcement 119
Compliance Strategy 119
Fair Arrears and Penalties 120