“Hiring procedures are about testing somebody’s ability to do the job. However, there’s a difference between testing someone’s skills in an assessment setting and asking them to work for free. Recruitment processes cannot be an excuse for exploiting people.
“Testing waiters’ silver service skills in a simulated restaurant environment is an example that’s absolutely legitimate. But as soon as you have candidates working in a real business setting alongside paid employees, they deserve to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.
“We know businesses that use this method and pay candidates appropriately. Any employer who doesn’t is tarnishing their own brand and giving business a bad name.”
