Is PLN 4,644 the new national lowest rate as of January 1? It is the national lowest in 2025 again. All this because until November 15th Poland The Directive on appropriate minimum wages in the EU should be implemented.
National minimum wage, minimum wage, minimum wage, minimum hourly wage – from 2025 they will take on a whole new meaning.
Minimum wage after the change: How it will be determined in 2025
Since the Ministry of Family has not yet prepared a new draft minimum wage law that would implement this directive, it is expected that the 2025 minimum wage will be determined in accordance with the provisions of the currently applicable Minimum Wage Law.
Pursuant to it, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy submits a proposal on the minimum wage to the Council of Ministers. The Council responds to it, usually in early June. If the proposal is accepted, it is consulted by the Social Dialogue Council, which includes representatives of the government, trade unions and employers' organizations.
RDS submits its proposal to Cabinet by July 15. If he fails to do so, the government itself will set the minimum wage by September 15. However, it cannot be less than the first proposal approved by the Council of Ministers.
The government must submit an initial proposal for a new minimum wage by mid-June – so it has another three months to do so – but, contrary to appearances, there is not much time.
New minimum wage as of January 2025: PLN 4,644 or PLN 4,472
The initial minimum wage proposal is based on expectations of price increases (inflation) next year, and if the minimum wage is less than half the national average, it is also based on two-thirds of real economic growth.
As the head of the Central Statistical Office announced in an official announcement, the average salary in the national economy in 2023 was PLN 7,155.48. The current minimum wage – PLN 4,242, nor PLN 4,300 as of July 1 – is neither below the national average. Therefore, it can be assumed that the Minister of Labor will be guided only by inflation expectations for 2025.
Will the national lowest price stop rising so quickly from 2025?
This means that this is the end of these amazing minimum wage increases that have occurred over the past seven years – let's remember that the lowest national minimum wage in 2017 was PLN 2,000.
Let us remind you that the latest increase amounted to PLN 624 – from PLN 3,600 at the end of 2023 to PLN 4,242, which is the lowest national rate currently in effect.
It can be assumed with high probability that it is expected Economic inflation It will be in the range of 4% with a maximum of 8% and this in turn means that the new national lowest rate in 2025 will be in the range of PLN 4,472-4,644 in total.
How much will it cost? If there is a larger amount, then… 3,496 PLN net and the bottom 3,379 PLN net.
Minimum wage 2025: One or two increases
The level of expected inflation will also determine whether the national minimum will be increased once or twice in 2025, for the third time in a row: from January 1 to July 1, 2025. If inflation expectations are 5% or higher, Excites There will be two, and, for example, with 8% inflation, the minimum wage of PLN 4,644 will finally be increased only on July 1 – from January 1, 2025, it will be slightly lower, because the government will divide the planned increase in two installments, just like the amount Final PLN 4,300 in 2024. (PLN 4,242 as of January 1 and PLN 4,300 as of July 1).
New national minimum: who will get it in 2025
From government estimates assessing the impact Excites The lowest salary in 2024, and it was noted that the number of employees who will benefit from the change this year is approximately 3.6 million people. A year ago, the number of this group amounted to 3 million, in 2022 – 2.7 million, and in 2021 – 1.6 million employees.
Therefore, it is expected that approximately 4 million employees will be directly concerned with the national minimum wage in 2025.
Directly, because other benefits are also linked to the minimum wage. Each worker is entitled to receive support amounting to 20% of his salary. The hourly rate resulting from the minimum wage. Also, the company's severance pay cannot be less than the minimum wage. End-of-service compensation in the event of mass layoffs is also linked to the minimum wage. It may not exceed 15 times the minimum wage.
The amount of the minimum wage also affects the amount of social security contributions paid by novice entrepreneurs (the preferential rates applied during the first 24 months are calculated on the basis of 30% of the minimum wage).
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