More than $12 million in claims have been submitted against employers who have not paid the required minimum wage and overtime.
Agni Deo Singh, the Minister for Employment, stated that some security firms and supermarkets are frequently the main violators of labor laws. He explained that while not all companies in these sectors are non-compliant, several have failed to adhere to the new minimum wage regulations.
As of last month, the minimum wage had risen to $4.50, and companies are expected to follow this change. Singh mentioned that there have been reports of some businesses ignoring these wage increases. During an interview, he emphasized that employers who do not comply with the new wage standards will face penalties.
He acknowledged that with nearly 30,000 employers in the country, ensuring compliance is a challenging task. Nevertheless, he assured that the ministry responds quickly to reports of non-compliance to investigate and resolve these issues.