Minimum wage gets a raise!

The minimum wage will increase by 50 cents to $15.75 an hour on April 1, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

The starting-out and training hourly minimum wage rates will increase from $12.20 to $12.60 per hour, remaining at 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.

"The Government is committed to striking the right balance between protecting our lowest paid workers and ensuring jobs are not lost," Woodhouse said today.

"An increase to $15.75 will benefit approximately 119,500 workers and will increase wages throughout the economy by $65 million per year.

"At a time when annual inflation is 0.4 per cent, a 3.3 per cent increase to the minimum wage will give our lowest paid workers more money in their pockets, without hindering job growth or imposing undue pressure on businesses.

"Annual increases to the minimum wage since 2009 reflect this Government's commitment to growing the economy, boosting incomes and supporting job growth throughout New Zealand."

The increase is the fourth successive 50c increase. The rate was raised from $13.75 to $14.25 in April 2014, then to $14.75 in 2015 and $15.25 last year.

via NZ Herald