Employers to be fined up to $10,000 or face imprisonment for non-compliance of new wage rate

Employers are required to comply with the new minimum wage regulations which came into effect on 1st August 2024 raising the National Minimum Wage and sectoral wages by 50 cents.

Another increase is set for 1st April 2025 which aims to enhance the financial wellbeing of workers across various sectors including construction, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail.

Minister for Employment Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh says it is important to adhere to these new wage standards.

Singh says employers are mandated to display written notices of the increased wage rates in their workplaces which can be obtained from the Ministry of Employment website and failure to display these regulations will result in a $100 penalty with more severe consequences including fines up to $10,000 or imprisonment for continued non-compliance.

Singh says all employers covered under the New Minimum Wage Amendment Regulations 2022 and the 10 sectoral industries need to update their wage records accordingly.

He says Ministry’s Labour Standards and Compliance Team will conduct inspections across workplaces in Fiji to ensure that all workers are remunerated with the right wage rate.