Agricultural wages: guide for workers and employers - twenty eighth edition

Introduction

The first edition of this Guide was produced in 1996 to help employers and workers understand the new rules resulting from the simplification of the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Order (No. 44) 1996.

This twenty seventh edition of the Guide incorporates the new rates of pay and other changes introduced with effect from Monday, 1 April 2024.

These rates and other changes are contained in the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Order (No. 71) 2024 (‘the Order’), a copy of which was issued with this Guide. The Order contains the detailed legal requirements for the calculation of minimum pay, holidays etc., and has to be written in the precise legal terms required to make the Order enforceable in law. The following guidance notes attempt to explain the rules in simpler terms and to answer some of the questions which are most likely to arise. If there is any confusion between the Wage Order and/or the Guide, the provisions of the Wages Order take precedence.

If you require a copy of this Guide or the Agricultural Wages Order in Polish please contact us.

An abbreviated document covering the key features is available in Russian, Belarusian, Moldovian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Nepalese, Bulgarian, Latvian and Kazakhstani.

Scottish Government Agricultural Wages Enforcement,

Saughton House,

Broomhouse Drive,

Edinburgh EH11 3XD

E-mail: sawb@gov.scot

Tel: 0131 244 9749/9750

Where the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NLW) become higher than the hourly or other minimum rate of pay prescribed under this Order, the Wages Board has taken to have made an Order fixing minimum rates equal to the NMW and the NLW.

If you are unclear about the terms or effect of the NLW or the NMW then you should seek guidance from your legal or financial adviser.