MX23RW : Friday, January 8 01:18:58| >> :120:18663:18663:

St Johnstone " extremely disappointed" to appear on HMRC list

Saints were found to owe more than £14,000 to 28 workers, 25 of them apprentice footballers.

St Johnstone are "extremely disappointed" to have been included on a list of companies highlighted for failing to pay employees the minimum wage.

The Perth club were among 15 Scottish companies and 139 in the UK to be 'named and shamed' by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs following investigations between 2016 and 2018.

Saints were found to owe more than £14,000 to 28 workers, 25 of whom were apprentice footballers.

The club paid the employees the money following what they described as a "very lengthy scrutiny" of their working practices by HMRC.

A club statement added: "Due to the absence of written evidence to support our position in relation to hours worked as opposed to the actual rate of pay, the club was unable to disprove HMRC's estimate of the average hours worked per week by these employees.

"The hours of work undertaken by our apprentices was fully reviewed and changes were implemented immediately following HMRC's outcome.

"The perceived failure to pay three other employees the national minimum wage related to voluntary deductions from pay by these employees.

"The club prides itself in treating our staff fairly and we are extremely disappointed to find ourselves in a position whereby we are criticised for failing to meet national minimum wage requirements."

All the named companies were served a notice of underpayment between September 2016 and July 2018.

They were ordered to pay back the wage arrears to workers at the current rate, as well as facing fines of up to 200 per cent of money owed – capped at £10,000 per worker – that is paid to the government.

ID:428626:cQx

Click here for more stories about St Johnstone

Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard pictured on November 22, 2020
Read Next:
Wednesday's Scottish Premiership predictions including Celtic, Rangers
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
Read more about St Johnstone Football

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1RangersRangers2220205755262
2Celtic19134245153043
3Aberdeen2011632718939
4Hibernian2210663023736
5Livingston208392526-127
6Dundee UnitedDundee Utd226881727-1026
7St Mirren196491522-722
8Kilmarnock2163122226-421
9St Johnstone2247111931-1219
10Hamilton AcademicalHamilton2153132145-2418
11Motherwell2045111731-1417
12Ross County2245131339-2617

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!