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Q: I have had an intern working for me for a year and am currently paying them at below-minimum wage. How long am I legally able to use their services in this way?

Jan 08 2010

Answered by: Marc Barber Ask a question

You can only pay below the minimum wage in very limited circumstances and classing someone as an intern is not, in itself, enough to justify not paying the minimum wage.

Your employee needs to be on a government sponsored or accredited apprenticeship scheme or some other recognised accredited course of training in order to be covered by the exemptions to the minimum wage.

Where the exemptions do apply, the length of time they will apply for will depend on their age, but the maximum amount of time someone can be on the reduced rate is a year. You need to start paying them the full rate now and look into whether or not you have been underpaying them so far.

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