Just one-in-five hotels and shops paying minimum rates

LESS than one-in-five hotels and grocery outlets is paying staff agreed minimum rates of pay, according to the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA).

Inspections by NERA officials in the hotel sector showed that just 18% were in compliance with official wage rates, while compliance rates in the grocery trade were little better at 19%.

Most other sectors which operate an agreed industry rate under Registered Employment Agreements and Employment Regulation Orders also recorded poor levels of paying their staff agreed wage rates.