[France] Minimum wage rise confirmed for November

A rise in France’s minimum wage has been confirmed by the government. From November 1 minimum pay will increase by 2 per cent, The Connexion reports.

The move will see the gross amount climb above the €1,800 threshold for the very first time, the prime minister said.

A decree confirming the minimum wage (“Smic”) reportedly appeared in the Journal Officiel on October 24.

“With effect from November 1, 2024, the decree raises the gross hourly minimum wage in mainland France, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to €11.88 (a 2 per cent increase), i.e. €1,801.80 per month based on a legal working week of 35 hours", the decree read.

Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet - France's Minister for Employment - said in a press release, “This new decision to raise the minimum wage early is in line with the aim of supporting the purchasing power of the most modest working households.”

The 2 per cent bump arose from the formula used for the Smic’s annual re-evaluation. It considers factors such as forecasts for consumer price changes and the hourly wage of manual and clerical workers. 

The Smic automatically increases annually, on January 1, but increases can also be made during the year based on inflation levels affecting the poorest 20 per cent of households. 

The government can also reportedly opt to go beyond the automatic increase and add a ‘boost’ beyond the minimum required increase. However, it has not done this since 2012.

France’s minimum wage has been increased eight times since January 2021, including four times during the year due to rising inflation. The last increase was on January 1, 2024.

Such changes mean that the minimum wage is rising faster than other wages in some industries. When this happens, the government often asks industry heads to make amends. The employment minister met with industry representatives to ask for accelerations to the “negotiations” to this effect.

The number of French employees receiving the legal minimum wage has reportedly risen sharply over the past few years. By January 1, 2023, 17.3 per cent of employees were on Smic, up from 14.5 per cent at the same time in 2022 and 12 per cent in 2021.

Source: The Connexion

(Quotes via original reporting)

A rise in France’s minimum wage has been confirmed by the government. From November 1 minimum pay will increase by 2 per cent, The Connexion reports.

The move will see the gross amount climb above the €1,800 threshold for the very first time, the prime minister said.

A decree confirming the minimum wage (“Smic”) reportedly appeared in the Journal Officiel on October 24.

“With effect from November 1, 2024, the decree raises the gross hourly minimum wage in mainland France, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to €11.88 (a 2 per cent increase), i.e. €1,801.80 per month based on a legal working week of 35 hours", the decree read.

Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet - France's Minister for Employment - said in a press release, “This new decision to raise the minimum wage early is in line with the aim of supporting the purchasing power of the most modest working households.”

The 2 per cent bump arose from the formula used for the Smic’s annual re-evaluation. It considers factors such as forecasts for consumer price changes and the hourly wage of manual and clerical workers. 

The Smic automatically increases annually, on January 1, but increases can also be made during the year based on inflation levels affecting the poorest 20 per cent of households. 

The government can also reportedly opt to go beyond the automatic increase and add a ‘boost’ beyond the minimum required increase. However, it has not done this since 2012.

France’s minimum wage has been increased eight times since January 2021, including four times during the year due to rising inflation. The last increase was on January 1, 2024.

Such changes mean that the minimum wage is rising faster than other wages in some industries. When this happens, the government often asks industry heads to make amends. The employment minister met with industry representatives to ask for accelerations to the “negotiations” to this effect.

The number of French employees receiving the legal minimum wage has reportedly risen sharply over the past few years. By January 1, 2023, 17.3 per cent of employees were on Smic, up from 14.5 per cent at the same time in 2022 and 12 per cent in 2021.

Source: The Connexion

(Quotes via original reporting)