The Pensions Regulator has warned farmers and growers they may risk a fine if they don’t comply with their legal pension duties.
The warning is included in an online campaign targeted at employers in sectors most likely to hire seasonal workers this winter, including those in agriculture.
Social media posts featuring farm workers remind employers that if they are hiring, they should check on their legal automatic enrolment (AE) duties.
Any staff who are aged between 22 and state pension age and who earn over £192 a week, or £833 a month, must be put into a pension scheme which their employer pays into.
Sarah Howitt Jones, of the Pensions Regulator, said the campaign aims to ensure every eligible worker is enrolled into a workplace pension scheme and gets the pension they are due.
“Even if your additional staff work for you for a few days or weeks, you must assess whether they are eligible to be enrolled into a pension scheme each time you pay them.
“And if they are, you must put them into a qualifying scheme and pay contributions," she explained.
As temporary workers may have variable hours and pay, an assessment of who to put into a pension scheme may take more time and effort.
To support farm employers, the regulator has produced new guidance on its website to help farmers ensure they are meeting their duties correctly.
"If you have staff who you know will be working for you for less than three months, you can use postponement to delay assessing those employees," Ms Howitt Jones said.
"This pauses the employer duty to assess staff until the end of the three-month postponement period."
If farmers are running late in meeting their duties for temporary staff, they should tell the Pensions Regulator immediately.
And for those who do not comply with their duties, enforcement action, including fines, will be taken, Ms Howitt Jones warned.
“Don’t hide from your pension duties, check on your legal duties today.”
