Cutting corners over minimum wage harms whole industry, warns nhf

The National Hairdressers' Federation has warned that salons which cut corners over the minimum wage are damaging the whole industry. The warning comes in light of a low-pay event organised by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which made clear that enforcement of the national minimum wage is going to be a priority for the government of the coming months, with a tougher 'naming and shaming' regime coming into force. It also comes just days after research from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published research suggesting that hairdressing is one of the worst industries for failing to pay apprentices the correct wage - with nearly 69% of hairdressing apprentices paid less than the national minimum wage. NHF chief executive Hilary Hall, who was one of a select audience invited to the event, said one way salons could set the right example was simply by joining the Federation. In a statement she said: "It is clear there will be increasing emphasis on compliance around the NMW in the coming months; not least because this is an issue all the political parties are focusing on right now. "Salons and barber shops are often small businesses without HR support. They do complain they can find the NMW complex and difficult to get right, but it is imperative hairdressers and barbers of whatever size ensure they are meeting their obligations to their staff under the NMW. At the NHF we provide extensive support around compliance, and our standard employee contracts include an obligation that the employer pays the NMW. "The worry is, with many parts of the economy now showing signs of recovery, the political pressure will grow for substantial increases to be made to the NMW. Yet our own research has suggested 25% of our members saw their turnover decline last year and so, for many, there is as yet precious little sign of economic green-shoots. "But our industry can only argue the case for continuing wage restraint on the high street if it first puts its own house in order."