The Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations is calling on all employers affected by the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2022 and the ten specified industries to update their wage records. This directive follows an increase in the National Minimum Wage and wages for the ten sectoral industries by 50 cents, effective August 1, along with an additional increase of another 50 cents scheduled for April 1, 2025. The sectors affected include Building and Civil and Electrical Engineering Trades, Hotel and Catering Trades, Manufacturing, Mining and Quarrying, Printing, Sawmilling and Logging, Security Services, Wholesale and Retail, Garment Production, and Road Transport.
Minister Agni Deo Singh emphasized that the Ministry’s Labour Standards and Compliance Team will actively inspect workplaces across Fiji to ensure compliance with the new wage increases. Singh stressed the importance of employers displaying written notifications regarding the updated wage rates prominently in their workplaces to inform employees about the adjustments.
Employers who neglect to display the required notices may face a penalty of $100 imposed by the Ministry’s Enforcement Officers. In cases of non-compliance with the fixed penalty notice, employers could face a fine of up to $10,000 or a maximum of two years in prison, or both. For corporate entities, the fines can reach as high as $50,000.