Government document: A big chunk of Romania's employees will not receive a wage increase in 2019

The Romanian government may drop its plans to increase the minimum wage for employees with a minimum of 15 years’ seniority and only keep the RON 2,350 per month level for employees with higher education, according to a substantive note to the initial project. The measure may be adopted by the government in Friday’s meeting.

Labour Minister Marius Budai recently stated that he expected the minimum wage increase to come into force on January 1.

“The minimum wage will be discussed today during the visit to Brussels and will be debated and approved on Friday in the government meeting, then we will have the final form. From what I can anticipate, I think it will come into force on 1 January,” said Budai.

The gross minimum wage was to increase, according to the initial project, to RON 2,080 per month, for all employees, except for those with higher education or at least 15 years of seniority, for whom the minimum wage would have reached RON 2,350 per month.

On 24 October, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced that the minimum wage may grow from 1 December. “We talked to the trade unions. We will see if it is appropriate from 1 December or 1 January,” the head of the Executive said.

According to the substantive note for the project, there are nearly 1.4 million employees paid with the minimum wage in the economy. The estimated number for those with higher education among the ones paid with the minimum wage is 350,000, they will see the increased wage starting January 1. Those with at least 15 years of seniority are 785,185 people and they will see a rise to just RON 2,080 starting next year. The total number of employees that will have an increase in the wage to RON 2,080 is 1,029,785.