Concern as nearly half of grooms employed illegally

A survey found many grooms are not being paid the minimum, and are working extra unpaid hours

- ELEANOR JONES

NEARLY half of grooms are not paid in line with the law, a survey found, which is pushing people out of the industry.

The Equestrian Employers Association (EEA) carried out research as a "dip test" ahead of national minimum wage (NMW) increases on 1 April.

More than 200 people completed the survey, the aim of which was to understand how overtime and time off in lieu (TOIL) are treated, and how this affects the NMW.

It found that 45% of respondents are paid at or below the NMW but are not paid overtime or taking TOIL.

This means their real wages are below the legal minimum.

"What we found was expected, as we hear it all the time," EEA and British Grooms Association (BGA) founder Lucy Katan told H&H.

"Employers may think they're paying the NMW but the moment you take in the overtime, they drop below. They may think they're doing the right thing, but there's the strict liability rule - it's your responsibility as an employer to comply with the law."