March 2020

Edited by Katherine Anderson

These regulations, which come into force on 6 April 2020, amend the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015, SI 2015/621.

The first regulations implemented the annual increases to the NMW rates.

The second NMW amendment regulations of 2020 widen the range of pay arrangements that are compatible with workers being treated as salaried hours workers under the NMW rules. They also make a small change to the rules on payments by workers which reduce pay for NMW purposes: where a worker makes a purchase from their employer in connection with their employment (e.g. the latest clothing line for uniform in an apparel store) then if the employer reimburses the purchase it will not reduce NMW pay. These amendments also cover cases where the employer provides money for the purchase before it is made, for example through a uniform allowance payment. Under the current NMW Regulations, such purchases always reduce NMW pay even where they are reimbursed by the employer.