On Wednesday afternoon, the National Salary Council (CNS) unanimously approved the increase of 2.96% for minimum wages of the private sector in 2019. This means that for every ¢100,000 workers must receive ¢2,960 more.
For example, in the case of an office worker, the minimum wage for 2018 is set at ¢339,572.06 and would go to ¢349,623.39, which translates to ¢10,051.33 more for next year.
Luis Guillermo Fernández, president of the CNS, said that a salary increase of 3.50% was approved for domestic workers. That is, for every ¢100,000 they should receive ¢3,500 more.
The minimum wage of a domestic worker is ¢183,939.51. With the adjustment established for 2019 it would go to ¢190,377.39, an equivalent to ¢ 6.437,88 more.
The increase was fixed unanimously, after analyzing the proposals presented by the representatives before the CNS. The government proposal, presented by the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Steven Núñez, was taken as a basis.
The hierarch urged the National Salary Council, so that it finishes the process of homologation of minimum wages between wage categories defined by days and by month determined in the Minimum Wage Decree no later than March 25th, 2019.
This will help them avoid confusion to the user sectors in the wage application, as established by the recommendations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The fixed amount will be in force as of January 1st, valid for one year and its application will be mandatory for all minimum wages established by the decree. The private sector encompasses around 80% of the working people of the country.
Employers are only required to make the increase if they pay the minimum wage. Those that are above the established amount may not make the increase.
In case the stipulated adjustment is not made, the worker can go to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security to file a complaint that will be followed by an inspection.