Nahhas: Wage Hike Effective as of January, Transportation Allowance Being Drafted
Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas said on Friday that the wage hike decree issued as an annex in the official gazette is aimed at activating it before the end of this month.
“Accelerating the release of the decree was aimed at including the wage hike in January’s salaries,” Nahhas stressed to As Safir newspaper on Friday.
However, article five of the decree states that the implementation of the decision will be effective as of February.
The plan sets the minimum wage at LL675,000, canceling a LL200,000 increase in wages given on 1/1/2010. The increase on brackets sets the raise on the first bracket up to LL400,000 to 100 percent , a sum that wouldn’t be less than LL375,000 while the increase on the second bracket – up to LL1.5 million- would include the first LL400,000 plus a 9 percent raise.
Nahhas stressed that the minimum wage hike is applied on new and old employees.
The minister denied in remarks published in As Safir newspaper that he is trying to “cancel” the transportation and education allowances.
Charbel reiterated that the cabinet tasked him to prepare a draft law and refer it to the parliament for adoption, allowing the government to set the minimum rates for transportation and education allowances, thus “legalizing” them.
“The plan is being developed but needs time to be completely ready,” the minister stated.
He ruled out that he will sign any “illegal” transportation and education allowances decree.
The controversial wage increase was signed by President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Nahhas after the cabinet adopted the deal between the Economic Committees and the General Labor Confederation, which was sponsored by Miqati in December at the Baabda Palace.
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