Employment Forum seeks your views on the minimum wage.
The Employment Forum wants to hear your views about increasing the minimum wage in 2020.
Each year, the Social Security Minister directs the Forum to consult on what rates the minimum wage, the trainee rates and the maximum offsets for accommodation and meals should be set at in the following year.
The minimum wage in Jersey applies to all employees over age 16 and is currently set at £7.88 per hour. The minimum wage will increase for a second time this year, to £8.02 on 1 October.
Helen Ruelle, Chair of the Employment Forum explained: “For 2019, the Forum recommended an overall increase of 6.9 percent to be applied in two stages - 5 percent from 1 April and the remainder from 1 October 2019. This is the first time since it was introduced in 2005 that the minimum wage will have increased twice in one year. This allowed us to achieve a greater overall increase in 2019 while saving on wage costs at potentially the busiest time of the year (April to October) for many employers in the sectors which employ additional seasonal staff. It also gave businesses a year to adjust before the second increase in October.
In this review, we will be asking stakeholders for their views on the decision to apply two minimum wage increases in 2019, as well as asking what measures businesses have taken to adjust to the 6.9 percent increase in 2019.”
All of the responses that the Forum receives during June and July will be carefully considered by the members of the Forum. The Forum will also review the latest economic advice, statistical information relating to average earnings, retail prices and the economy, as well as other relevant information and evidence. This will help the Forum to prepare a recommendation on the minimum wage which will be presented to the Social Security Minister in September 2019.
The Chair of the Employment Forum, said: “The Forum bases its recommendations on the evidence that it receives and so it is vital that we hear from employers who pay the minimum wage and employees who earn the minimum wage across a range of sectors. Some stakeholders find it helpful to arrange an individual meeting with the Forum to tell us their views in person and the Forum members find this face-to-face insight valuable. Comments can also be submitted through our online survey, by email, phone or in writing. I would encourage stakeholders to get in touch by whatever method suits them best and the Forum will be happy to engage to obtain their views.”
The survey is available to complete online www.gov.je/consult. Copies can also be obtained by emailing [email protected] or telephoning 447203. Respondents may also request a meeting with the Forum. Responses to the consultation must be received by 1 August 2019.