The Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Workplace Relations is advising all employers affected by the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2022 and the ten specified sectors to update their wage records accordingly. This notice follows an increase of 50 cents to the National Minimum Wage and ten sectoral wage rates, which took effect on August 1, and another 50-cent increase will take place on April 1, 2025, applicable to both the formal and informal sectors.
The ten sectoral industries include: Building and Civil Engineering Trades, Electrical Engineering Trades, Hotel and Catering Trades, Manufacturing, Mining and Quarrying, Printing Trades, Sawmilling and Logging, Security Services, Wholesale and Retail Trades, the Garment Industry, and Road Transport.
Minister Agni Deo Singh stated that the Ministry’s Labour Standards and Compliance Team will carry out inspections to ensure the proper implementation of the initial wage increase across all workplaces in Fiji, guaranteeing that all workers are paid the correct rates.
Employers are mandated to display written notifications of the new wage rates at their workplaces to inform employees about the increases. Failure to do so could result in a $100 penalty imposed by the Ministry’s Enforcement Officers.
If an employer does not comply with the penalty notice, they may face further legal repercussions, including fines up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both. For corporate entities, the maximum fine can reach $50,000.