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<p> </p><p>The Department is beginning engagement with a range of stakeholders from
the maritime industry to fully understand issues surrounding payment of the minimum
wage. To date we have met with officials in other jurisdictions as this policy area
is affected by legislation outside the UK. We will go on to engage with individual
maritime employers and their associations. We will be discussing recruitment models
and pay structures as part of this engagement. Following these investigations, we
will consider whether further enforcement activity is needed in this sector.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This Government remains committed to the minimum wage and the
protection it provides to low paid workers. That is why we have strengthened the enforcement
regime by cutting back the criteria for naming and shaming non-compliant employers
and have increased the penalty from 50% to 100% of arrears up to £20,000. We are also
taking primary legislation to apply a penalty per underpaid worker rather than per
non-compliant employer.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Where employers in the maritime
industry are found to not be paying the National Minimum Wage that workers are entitled
to, we will not hesitate to take action, including recovering arrears owed to workers
and penalising employers financially and their reputation by naming and shaming where
appropriate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Workers in the maritime industry who think
they have not been paid the correct National Minimum Wage should contact the Pay and
Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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