A list of 25 employers who failed to pay workers the minimum wage has been released by the UK government. They are the latest offenders to be “named and shamed” under rules that came into effect last October. Between them they owe more than £43,000 to staff and have been ordered to pay fines totalling more than £21,000. The national minimum wage is currently £6.31 an hour for adults and will rise to £6.50 ($10.20) from October. The government’s “naming and shaming” initiative is one of a number of measures it has introduced for employers who break the minimum wage law. Those who underpay now face penalties of up to £20,000. (edited from a BBC news item, 6 June 2014)

Imagine stealing the wages of your workers! How could you live with yourself?

The United States could learn something from this – first, the level of the basic wage in the US (which is seldom a living wage), and secondly the laisser faire American attitude adopted, in the name (presumably) of “liberty”, towards companies that exploit their workers, who cannot afford expensive lawyers to help recover stolen wages. Epicurus would be surprised and delighted that a conservative British government has adopted this civilized approach to company theft. But he would approve in the name of equity and enjoyment of life.