Super Low Wages!!!

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slimshade328

New member
Dec 4, 2005
48
0
0
Hello, I just read the information contained at the end of this posting regarding the minimum wages.

For "An Assistant" @ RD $189/day, that is super! Do people actuallly work at those rates or is that just a guide? Here in USA, people work at minimum wage (sometimes), but DR rates are insanely low. I could get the personal assistant I could never afford here!


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The standard workweek is 44 hours. The minimum wage is RD$3,416.10 for companies with capital of more than RD$500,000. The minimum wage for free zone industries is RD$2,490. Other minimum wages have been set for specific work classifications.


Labor force sectorial wage breakdown:
General private sector workers (effective as of 13 February 2001)

RD$3,415 per month (companies with more than RD$500,000 in assets)
RD$2,345 per month (companies with assets from RD$200,000 to RD$500,000)
RD$2,075 per month (companies with assets of less than RD$200,000)

Farm workers:
RD$70 per day for farm workers
RD$2,890 per month for watchmen

Hotel & restaurant employees:
RD$3,030 per month (companies with more than RD$500,000 in assets)
RD$2,160 per month (companies with assets from RD$200,000 to RD$500,000)
RD$1,950.00 per month (companies with assets of less than RD$200,000)

Bakery and pastry shop employees:
RD$3,415 per month (companies with more than RD$500,000 in assets)
RD$2,345 per month (companies with assets from RD$200,000 to RD$500,000)
RD$2,075 per month (companies with assets of less than RD$200,000)

Industrial free zone employees:
RD$2,490 per month

Heavy duty machine operators:
RD$7,800 per month for operators
RD$3,900 per month for assistants

Heavy duty farm equipment operators:
RD$3,000 per month

Construction workers:
Non skilled worker: RD$147 per day
Skilled worker: RD$161 per day
Asistant: RD$189 per day
Third category operator: RD$245 per day
Second category operator: RD$280 per day
First category operator: RD$350 per day
Master of trade of each area of construction: RD$455 per day
 
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HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
slimshade328 said:
Hello, I just read the information contained at the end of this posting regarding the minimum wages.

For "An Assistant" @ RD $189/day, that is super! Do people actuallly work at those rates or is that just a guide? Here in USA, people work at minimum wage (sometimes), but DR rates are insanely low. I could get the personal assistant I could never afford here!


----------------------------------------------------------------------


The standard workweek is 44 hours. The minimum wage is RD$3,416.10 for companies with capital of more than RD$500,000. The minimum wage for free zone industries is RD$2,490. Other minimum wages have been set for specific work classifications.


Labor force sectorial wage breakdown:
General private sector workers (effective as of 13 February 2001)

RD$3,415 per month (companies with more than RD$500,000 in assets)
RD$2,345 per month (companies with assets from RD$200,000 to RD$500,000)
RD$2,075 per month (companies with assets of less than RD$200,000)

Farm workers:
RD$70 per day for farm workers
RD$2,890 per month for watchmen

Hotel & restaurant employees:
RD$3,030 per month (companies with more than RD$500,000 in assets)
RD$2,160 per month (companies with assets from RD$200,000 to RD$500,000)
RD$1,950.00 per month (companies with assets of less than RD$200,000)

Bakery and pastry shop employees:
RD$3,415 per month (companies with more than RD$500,000 in assets)
RD$2,345 per month (companies with assets from RD$200,000 to RD$500,000)
RD$2,075 per month (companies with assets of less than RD$200,000)

Industrial free zone employees:
RD$2,490 per month

Heavy duty machine operators:
RD$7,800 per month for operators
RD$3,900 per month for assistants

Heavy duty farm equipment operators:
RD$3,000 per month

Construction workers:
Non skilled worker: RD$147 per day
Skilled worker: RD$161 per day
Asistant: RD$189 per day
Third category operator: RD$245 per day
Second category operator: RD$280 per day
First category operator: RD$350 per day
Master of trade of each area of construction: RD$455 per day
Click to expand...

These are all outdated. The last adjustment to the minimum wage was in the past year when they were increased by 20%. There were previous increases subsequent to the 2001 scale you posted. These wages cited are all pre-Hipolito inflation wages.

The RD$ 189/day you cite for an assistant was for a "construction assistant" equivalent to a crew leader.
 
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C

Chris_NJ

Bronze
Dec 17, 2003
614
13
18
45
The minimum wages are listed in monthly or daily amounts. Is there anything from preventing an employer from paying the correct monthly minimum wage but having that employee work 7 days/week and 14 hours/day or something like that?
 
H

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
Chris_NJ said:
The minimum wages are listed in monthly or daily amounts. Is there anything from preventing an employer from paying the correct monthly minimum wage but having that employee work 7 days/week and 14 hours/day or something like that?
Click to expand...
Absolutely, the Labor Code calls for a work week to be 44 hours total. Usually worked 8 hours Mon.-Fri. and 4 hours on Saturday. There must be a 36 hour continuous period of rest in the week. Overtime must be paid for time in excess of 44 hours. For 44-68 hours paid at 135%. In excess of 68 hours at 200%. Overtime cannot exceed 80 hours per quarter. Time after 9:00PM must be paid with a 15% increase. Time during rest period (i.e. Sunday) must be paid at 200% or given comp. time off. Holidays also paid double time if worked.
 
K

KateMNDR

New member
Jan 12, 2006
16
0
0
Chris_NJ said:
The minimum wages are listed in monthly or daily amounts. Is there anything from preventing an employer from paying the correct monthly minimum wage but having that employee work 7 days/week and 14 hours/day or something like that?
Click to expand...

You just described my work schedule (here in the states) except that I assume you meant doing that constantly? (I work 7 on/ 7 off, but they are 12-14 hour days) There are usually ways to get around it here; I think that according to Howmar's post, the "36 hour rest period" per week is a good example. Technically, requiring 36 hours of rest straight means you cannot work 7 days straight...but if you look at a calender with a 14 day stretch...and have someone work the "last half" of one week, and the "first half" of another, 12+ hour shifts...that they really ARE working like that.

I really admire the way overtime is doled out...rest periods (Sundays), after 9pm, etc...even different levels of "overtime" pay. If we had that here maybe not so many of us would feel the need to take on part time jobs in addition to our full time jobs/family/school/etc. Although I imagine that, like here, employers simply try to avoid paying the overtime, by hiring part time staff to fill in, or otherwise?
 
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