The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 PDF

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 the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 created a statutory

right to a minimum level of hourly pay for workers. Despite this, it has not been wholly effective in protecting the low paid or vulnerable in the labour market.’”

The national minimum wage was introduced to the United Kingdom by the Labour party with an aim to establish legal minimum floor of rights below which individuals, particularly ‘low paid workers and the vulnerable, would not be permitted to fall. The act established Low Pay Commission, a national body that enforces that the rights of employees are protected and safeguarded under the provision. With HM revenue and customs having the role of enforcing payments and prosecuting offenders. Since the introduction of the national minimum wage, its effectiveness is a something that has received debate on whether it has protected low paid workers from exploitation, whether it has taken economic and social justice considerations in its development and practice, as according to LPC 1998 some groups of workers are more likely to be low paid than others. This essay will explore whether the effectiveness the national minimum wage has had on low paid workers and the vulnerable in particular the areas I will focus on is the gig economy, zero contracts, prisoners and care workers The act provides for a facility for different rates to be determined for different age groups. the minimum wage was set £7.83 per hour from 2019 although three groups of workers are only entitled to a reduced rate. First, those workers who have attained the age of 25 years and over are entitled to £8.21 as of 2019, workers who are between the ages of 21 to 24 the hourly rate is set at £7.70, 18-20 £6.15, under 18 £4.35 and lastly those in apprenticeship £3.90. Increases in the NMW are linked to the government considerations in uprating the rates based on the advice from the Low pay commission and the economic circumstances at the time. When we are looking at the aims of the national legislation we need to establish whether it does infact protect the vulnerable in the labour market , the split of breaks between ages doesn’t fufil as workers workers between 21 to 24 which are the most vulnerable in the labour market have a lower rate section than the over 25

Gig economy...