A CHINESE takeaway in Co Down is among the worst businesses in the UK for under-paying staff.
A review of firms not offering a national minimum wage or a living wage found that Vong's Welcome Limited, trading as Vong's Hot Food Bar in Banbridge, failed to pay one worker more than £18,575.
The takeaway was the fifth worst offender in the whole of the north and Britain.
The review identified 233 employers who had deprived staff of a full wage, with catalogue retailer Argos emerging as the worst offender.
Employers have been hit with a record £1.9 million fine and forced to dish out extra money to staff for failing to pay a minimum wage.
More than 13,000 low paid workers will now be handed around £2 million in back pay.
Argos, which was bought by supermarket giant Sainsbury's last year, had not paid 12,176 people who worked for the firm close to £1.5 million, the government found.
Sainsbury's, who flagged the error in February, said the amount was actually £2.4 million for 37,000 people when taking into account both current and former staff.
The shortfall was linked to the timings of staff briefings before they had clocked on to their shifts, and security searches which could happen after workers had finished a shift.
All the staff have now received their back pay.
Several businesses in the north have been highlighted by council area. They are:
- Vong's Welcome Limited trading as Vong's Hot Food Bar, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, failed to pay £18,575.34 to one worker.
- Joan Greenan trading as Shape 'N' Style, Newry, Mourne and Down, failed to pay £1,886.71 to two workers.
- Joseph McCaughley and Martina McCaughley trading as Head Office Salon, Newry, Mourne and Down, failed to pay £1,702.30 to three workers.
- Mark Robinson trading as Soul Hairdressing, Belfast, failed to pay £1,699.67 to four workers.
- John Dickson trading as Darling's Hair Salon, Antrim and Newtownabbey, failed to pay £1,051.96 to one worker.
- Donnelly Bros. (Belfast) Limited, Antrim and Newtownabbey, failed to pay £771.34 to four workers.
- CDE Global Limited, Mid Ulster, failed to pay £768.91 to one worker.
- Roadside Motors (Lurgan) Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, failed to pay £601.41 to one worker.
- Big Tree Joinery Ltd, Lisburn and Castlereagh, failed to pay £581.25 to two workers.
- Belfast Activity Centre, Belfast, failed to pay £531.68 to one worker.
- Gifted Hairdressing Ltd, Newry, Mourne and Down, failed to pay £482.37 to one worker.
- JMW Farms Ltd, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, failed to pay £392.98 to one worker.
- Beechvale Nursing Home Limited, Ards and North Down, failed to pay £108.70 to three workers.
