This article will explain what is a minimum wage in the light of the law presenting a short and easy to understand definition. Then, we will analyze the importance of the current lowest wage amount for society answering such questions as: is it enough to live or only to survive? And: when employee will not receive minimum payment? Finally, we will examine the minimum payment in different countries.
This article will explain what is a minimum wage in the light of the law presenting a short and easy to understand definition. Then, we will analyze the importance of the current lowest wage amount for society answering such questions as: is it enough to live or only to survive? And: when employee will not receive minimum payment? Finally, we will examine the minimum payment in different countries.
Minimum pay is legal in Europe
The national minimum wage is the lowest wage that can be paid by employers due to the law. Each employer is required to guarantee a minimum. In order words: it is the basic price floor and employees should not work for any payment below. However, there is no minimum amount of money under three circumstances. Firstly, workers below 20 are not guaranteed to receive minimum wage. Such workers are young workers and therefore, they work under different conditions. Apprenticeship does not guarantee the minimum and neither does working as a member of the employers close relative. It is worth being noted that minimum payment changes according to hours spent working during each month. It changes every year and it cannot be changed by any contracts.
I will survive – or not.
Economic crisis along with rising inflation makes life harder and sometimes minimum wage is not enough to cover basic needs. In this case, we talk about the in-work poverty. In order to minimalise this problem, each year minimum amount of payment increase. Such guarantee boosts morale of workers and improves their life standard. Many workers are more eager to negotiate better work conditions when they feel secure. They can earn more not losing anything. Unfortunately, the lowest wage is still not much and the majority of workers need to think of addictional sources of money or save.
Own business money is uncertain
When you have your own company, you are never sure how much you earn each month. There is no lowest hourly rate guaranteed as a support. Therefore, there is no protection. Not only businessmen cannot rely on minimum wage. Another group are contract employees because they do not work fixed hours and are only expected to finish a contract.
Other countries than Poland minimum wage
Lowest wage varies between countries. In 2022 Polish wage is 19,6 pln which makes month salary about 3 000 pln gross. In comparison, we will now look at other countries wage before tax and charges. Keep in mind that 40-hour working week is not a standard in every country. For example, in 2022 Germany wage is 1600 euro. There are three groups depending on wages. Poland belongs to the first group along with Bulgaria (332 euro), Latvia and Croatia (both: 500 euro), Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Estonia, Czech Republic (664 euro), Portugal and Lithuania. Second group consists of Malta (791 euro), Slovenia (1074 euro) and Spain (1126 euro.) Members of the third group have the highest wage rate and they are the following: Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands and Luxemburg.
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