Size of minimum wage: answers to frequently asked questions

Our current material is a compilation of the most frequently asked questions about the minimum wage and the answers to them. So, read carefully - maybe you do not know much yet.

1. What is the amount of the minimum wage?

The last determination of the size of such is dated June 2011 and is 4,611 rubles / month.

2. SMIC - is it one or there may be several?

Several. The minimum salary, set at the federal level and at the regional level, is two different figures.

3. What is not included in the minimum wage?

In the minimum wage, the amount of which can not be lower than the subsistence level established in the country (although this principle, alas, is not respected by us) does not include: surcharges, surcharges, bonuses, other social, incentive and compensatory payments.

4. Is there a minimum monthly wage attached to the number of hours worked?

Of course. The size of the minimum wage is calculated for the worked out completely monthly rate of time and subject to the fulfillment of labor duties (labor standards). So, the normal schedule of working hours per week should not exceed forty hours.

5. Does anyone else in addition to government bodies participate in the discussion of SMIC?

MROT of the federal level is established only by the government and no one else. But the lower wage threshold in the regions is the result of a tripartite agreement between the authorities, employers and trade union organizations.

6. What is the basis for determining the Russian SMIC size?

The size of the minimum wage is established proceeding from the analysis of information about:

- the needs of workers, as well as their families;

- the general level of wages in Russia;

- the cost of living and the trends of change in it;

- social security benefits;

- the comparative standard of living of other social groups;

- economic factors, in particular, the requirements of economic development, the level of labor productivity, the desirability of achieving high levels of employment in the country and their maintenance.

7. What is the poverty line (cost of living)?

The subsistence minimum, determined by the government in June 2011, is 6,473 rubles / month. This poverty line is an estimate in terms of value of the minimum necessary set of food products, non-food products, services that a person needs in order to maintain his health, provide livelihoods and make mandatory fees and payments (in particular, utilities).

8. How many people receive SMIC in our labor market?

In general, in our country there is no official statistics on this matter. But that's what Rosstat can tell us. For the first quarter of 2011, 16% of the population were below the poverty threshold, which is almost 23 million people. Comparing with 2010, it is worth noting that this figure, unfortunately, increased by 2 million.

9. Who controls the extent to which the minimum wage is observed by employers?

Such controlling bodies are:

- tax inspectorates and labor inspectorates (federal level);

- Social Insurance Fund;

- The prosecutor's office.

10. What sanctions can be applied if the minimum wage legislation is violated, and there were many precedents?

If there are violations of the deadline and the procedure for paying wages, the guilty persons are expected to receive the following penalties :

- 1-5 thousand rubles for FE;

- 30-50 thousand rubles. For organizations.

There are no precise statistics on this issue, however, according to the data of the Prosecutor General's Office in 2010, about 800 thousand violations of the law were stopped and more than 51 thousand offenders not considered with the law were brought to justice. According to the results of the work of disqualification for repeated violations, 832 heads of organizations and enterprises were exposed.

11. If an employee is paid a wage level below the minimum wage, where should he go?

In this case, ask the personnel department for a certificate of income and attach it to the complaint with the essence of the matter stated in it. Apply to the union that operates in your company, or send it to the labor inspectorate. As an option, try to discuss this with the accountant, the management of your company (preferably in writing).