Employers are urged to review the current minimum wage and adjust by March
Employers are urged to review the current minimum wage and adjust by March
The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has announced that it is increasing the minimum wage to $13.20 per hour starting April 1, a 45% increase from the current $12.75 per hour there. The government early this month also announced an increase in the minimum overtime wage rate from $19.13 per hour to $19.80.
The hike in minimum pay is in line with the province's Labour Standards Regulations, which state that it should be changed every first day of April based on the percentage increase to the National Consumer Price Index.
Meanwhile, months ahead of the planned increase, the independent Minimum Wage Review Committee has announced that it is opening its ears to feedback from employers and employees on the current minimum wage rate, as well as the adjustment process. The move is part also of a legislation that requires to province to carry out a review over the matter.
The reviews of both employers and employees are currently sought by the committee using different questionnaires on EngageNL that are available until March 18.
Employers may also write the committee a written contribution until March 25, where they can state their organisation's opinion and feedback about the minimum wage rate and adjustment process.
Read more: Province to increase minimum wage … in 2024
The committee will then "review input solicited from targeted stakeholders on the minimum wage and report to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change with a cohesive set of observations and findings and provide non-binding recommendations on the current adjustment process for setting the minimum wage and the wage rate."
The committee is composed of five members, including one chairperson and four employer representatives. Minister Responsible for Labour Bernard Davis announced the committee's members as follows:
- Lori Anne Companion, Chairperson
- Edwina Bateman, Employer Representative
- AnnMarie Boudreau, Employer Representative
- David Burke, Employee Representative
- Mark Nichols, Employee Representative
They are scheduled to provide a report to the ministry on April 30, 2022.
Newfoundland and Labrador has around 11,500 minimum wage earners, with 60.7% of them women and 39.3% of them men. Almost half or 46.4% of minimum wage earners also work full time while 52.7% are part-time employees.
"By establishing an independent review committee, which includes individuals who have first hand, lived experience with the minimum wage from both an employer and employee perspective, we are providing another outlet to examine and address the minimum wage rate in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Davis in a statement.
