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."
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Denne historien er fra March 16, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
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Smith hits flying form
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Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
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'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
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