Some six months after the new $60,000 national minimum wage order took effect, there are several companies that are still paying their workers below that figure.
This is according to Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton who said the Ministry is investigating those reports.
“As far as I know, there are some reports that have come to the Ministry that employers might not be paying their minimum, their national minimum wage…,” Hamilton told reporters during a press conference yesterday.
“We have had some reports where employees, they have indicated that their employer is not yet paying the minimum wage and we have proceeded to investigate those matters.”
While he did not divulge any more information on the matter, the Labour Minister encouraged journalists to contact the Chief Labour Officer next week for more details.
It was previously noted that the $60,000 national minimum wage order, which took effect on July 1, was expected to only benefit about 10% of private sector employees – since majority of private sector workers were being paid above that figure. Additionally, the public sector far supersedes that salary. In fact, it now stands at around $80,000 following President Dr Irfaan Ali’s announcement of an 8% salary increase for public servants.
It has been explicitly stated that any employer that contravenes the provisions of the Order shall be liable upon summary conviction to a fine of $50,000 for the first offence. For any second or subsequent office, they will be slapped with a fine of $100,000 or imprisonment for one month.
