The country’s national minimum wage rate ensures that people in the informal sector are covered.

Employment Minister Semi Koroilevasau says it’s there so that workers in backyard garages, domestic workers and farm hands are protected and paid accordingly.

Koroilevasau was responding to a question from Government MP Viam Pillay on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage Regulations.

The minister says his Ministry has conducted awareness programs for employers and workers throughout the country via television, radio and workshops.

‘Madame Speaker the compliance section of the Ministry has conducted a total of 1,147 labour inspections on the employers covered under the minimum wage rate of $2.32 per hour. We have recovered almost a total of $60,000 as at December 2015 as arrears of wages for the National Minimum wage which is paid through the Ministry to the workers that are covered under this wage rate’.

148 spot fines were issued ranging from $100 to $500 to employers who have either not paid the minimum wage or had not issued any pay slip to workers.