Jamie Hepburn

Watchdogs have a minimum wage, the "legal reality" as the figures show, that the 37,000 people in Scotland paid less than the statutory rate in the last year.

the data of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) also showed that the employer owed, which is in the UK for about £6,500, on average, be in arrears and unpaid labour.

The analysis of the Scottish working age population as a percentage of the total British population of working age.

CAS chiefs say that the figures are "unacceptable".

The analysis suggests 36,876 workers were potentially paid less than the minimum wage in Scotland in the last year.

A UK government spokesman said: "The government is determined that everyone who receives entitlement to The National minimum wage.

"All companies, regardless of size or industry are responsible for the payment of the proper wage to your employees. HMRC will not hesitate to take measures to ensure that workers receive what they are entitled to.

"In 2018/19, HMRC completed over 3,000 investigations, the identification of over £24. 4m for More Than 220,000 employees.

"follow, in the case of non-compliance with the payment of The National minimum wage fines in the amount of 200%, which may include radicals, and for the worst offences, criminal prosecution. "

CAS social justice spokeswoman Mhoraig Green said it was "only the tip of The Iceberg ".

she added not to be identified: "Many in the informal economy, which in these figures.

"This should be. a Wake-up call on our new government to ensure that, by 2020, the year of the minimum wage must become a reality, in a legal

"The current minimum wages are not sufficient to allow us to many people about the poverty, even if they are paid in full. "

advice around employment is the third biggest Problem for the advice in the Citizens Advice network in Scotland.

employees of 43,000 parts of the work in connection with advice in 2018/19, with 12,000 thousand pieces of advice on pay and entitlements.

The Charity ran Earlier this year, a campaign to raise awareness of the Young People know about their rights at work.

It draws a new body to examine the forces, the minimum wage violations, together with the employees to confidentially report matters in connection with the protection of maternity, holiday, sickness, pay, dismissal, redundancy and other rights.

Ms Green said CAS people on a regular basis to look at low prices by the employer or which have been rejected illegally, the holiday pay due to each employee.

she added: "The figures we publish today are simply unacceptable. Employers need to understand that the pay is the legal minimum wage for their workers is optional. It is The Law . "

Scotland-minister for economic Affairs, fair employment and skills, Jamie Hepburn , said the British government should do more to ensure that the employer "comply with their obligations".

He said: "The Scottish government supports the payment of wages of £9. 30 per hour as a minimum rate for all workers over the age of 18 years.

"in the meantime, we will continue to promote, any organization, regardless of size, industry or location, to ensure that all employees in a fair day's pay for a fair day' s work as part of our progressive Scottish Fair Work approach. "

Source of news: bbc.com