Minimum Wage 2016-2017 in Australia and UK
Both Britain and Australia have a set minimum pay rate for employers to follow.
Employers can of course pay higher, but can be prosecuted if they are found to be paying lower.
UK Minimum Wage £7.20 per hour
https://www.gov.uk/…/minimum-wage-rate-recommendations–2
For workers aged 25 and over, the Government is introducing the £7.20 National Living Wage – in effect a fifth minimum wage rate – from 1 April 2016.
Australia Minimum Wage: $17.70 per hour
The national minimum wage is currently $17.70 per hour or $672.70 per 38 hour week (before tax).
Casual employees covered by the national minimum wage also get at least a 25 per cent casual loading.
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/…/current-national-minimum-wage
Minimum Wage Comparisons at date of publication:
A$17.70 Australian Dollar equals 10.32 British Pound
£7.20 British equals A$12.35
UK Law on Minimum Wage:
Current legislation employers can be handed a fine of up to £20,000 for each worker who is paid below the minimum wage.
However, no fines have been issued since 2013.
Australian Law on Minimum Wage:
An individual faces maximum penalties of between $5,100 and $10,200 per breach and the company faces penalties of between $25,500 to $51,000 per breach.
Many fines have been issued. The largest so far, in 2016, is a 7-Eleven store in Brisbane who underpaid 12 employees a total of $82,661.
The businessman who owns and operates the store, was individually fined $68,058 and his company was fined another $340,290.