9Determination of wages

9 Determination of wages

9 Determination of wages

(1) In this Order, a reference to wages, in relation to a period of insurance under a policy issued or to be issued to an employer or in relation to a period of 12 months ascertained by reference to any such period of insurance, is a reference:

(a) except as provided by paragraph (b), to a reasonable estimate of the monetary value of all wages (not including any wages to which Schedule 7 applies) payable to workers by the employer in respect of the period of insurance or the period of 12 months, as the case may be as calculated by reference to the returns, if any, furnished in accordance with the regulations by the employer to the insurer, or

(b) where the monetary value of those wages (not including any wages to which Schedule 7 applies) has been ascertained—to the actual value of those wages.

(2) If at any time the employer has failed to furnish the returns in respect of any relevant period of insurance and the monetary value of the wages concerned has not been ascertained, the estimate of the monetary value of those wages is taken to be such amount as is calculated by multiplying the monetary value (or reasonable estimate) of wages for the immediately preceding equivalent period of insurance by 1.3.

(3) For the avoidance of doubt:

(a) in this Order, a reference to wages payable to workers includes wages payable to apprentices, and

(b) in subclause (2), the monetary value (or reasonable estimate) of wages for an employer for the immediately preceding equivalent period of insurance includes the monetary value (or reasonable estimate) of wages for the immediately preceding equivalent period of insurance paid to apprentices.