Working Life - Rates of Pay
When it comes to rates of pay you know longer have to use your own judgement since the introduction of the national minimum wage.
This means that you should be receiving a minimum of £4.85 if you are aged 22 and above, or £4.10 if you are between 18 and 22 years of age. However this will all change in October 2005 when the wage will go up to £5.05 and £4.25 respectively.
The UK minimum wage doesn’t cover those jobs that also offer accredited training so if you find yourself earning less and are participating in a training scheme, this could be the reason why.
When comparing jobs on pay, it’s worth taking into account the amount of overtime available when you’re browsing the job ads. All scheduled overtime must be paid and is usually a lot more than you would receive during normal working hours (time and a half or double time). This can sometimes be a nice little bonus in the lead up to Christmas etc but make sure that you find out if this overtime is expected of you or you may refuse at any time.
Some companies expect employees to work during weekends and bank holidays. This often translates into overtime-style bonuses in your pay packet. Remember to check with your employer or recruitment agency to find out if this is the case.
It’s always worth checking, and then double checking exactly what your salary will be before you take a job to ensure that you are happy with the rate of pay and the pay conditions.