Recently there has been much publicity about graduates working for nothing, or indeed even paying to work, in the hope of making an impression and getting a paid job) see for example The Mail Online, 4 March 2010 – “The Slave Labour Graduates.”)
Recently there has been much publicity about graduates working for nothing, or indeed even paying to work, in the hope of making an impression and getting a paid job) see for example The Mail Online, 4 March 2010 – “The Slave Labour Graduates.”)
This may come as a surprise to those who thought that we had a national minimum wage and that that minimum is not zero. For those of a certain age it will bring back memories of articled clerks paying for the privilege of learning at their principal’s feet. So what is the legal position now?
Such action by employers is clearly illegal, in relation to anyone over 16 who is not working under a formal apprenticeship contract.
The national minimum wage is just that – there are no variations by region, occupation or size of company. However, there
