Minimum wage consultation launched to help with future changes

Tuesday 07 August 2018

A consultation is being started by the States, as they are asking to hear people's views on the current minimum wage in Guernsey.

The Employment & Social Security Committee said it was conducting the consultation to help develop proposals for relevant rates for 2019, and also future plans for minimum wage in the medium term.

An amendment to the medium term financial plan that was successfully passed through the States in 2017 has already ensured the Committee will return to the Assembly with new proposals for wage levels in 2019. In said plan, the "medium term" is being treated as five years.

Among other options, the Committee is considering linking the minimum wage to 60% of median earnings. This would imply a minimum wage of £9.93 per hour, in today's terms, by 2023. Currently, the minimum wage is £7.75 per hour for adults.

The Committee is also intending to equalise the Young Person's Minimum Wage with the Adult rate over the same period. 

A questionnaire is now available to be filled in online for the consultation. It asks for feedback on current minimum wage policy, and also explains in greater detail some of the options under consideration for these future proposals. 

The feedback will help the Committee to make its recommendations to the States later this year for the Minimum Wage & Associated Rates to apply from 1 January 2019 and beyond.

The closing date for the questionnaire is Friday 10 September, and can be found online here. Printed copes can be requested via telephone on 234567 or by emailing employmentrelations@gov.gg.