Sindh government increases minimum wages up to 37,000

KARACHI: The Sindh government has set a new minimum monthly wage of Rs37,000 for workers across the province, effective from July 1, 2024. This decision aimed to improve worker welfare and ensure fair compensation across all sectors.

The Sindh Minimum Wages Board has issued an official gazette under the Sindh Minimum Wages Act 2015, detailing the new minimum wage for unskilled workers.

The notification invites public objections and suggestions, which must be submitted to the Secretary of the Minimum Wages Board Sindh, Karachi, within 14 days of the gazette’s publication. Submissions received after this period will not be considered.

The new wage will apply to all unskilled adult, adolescent, and female workers in registered and unregistered industrial or commercial establishments across Sindh. The rates will be uniformly enforced throughout the province.

Additionally, The minimum wage, as stated in the Sindh Minimum Wages Act 2015, will be Rs178 per hour, Rs1,423 per full day, and Rs37,000 per month for workers who work eight hours a day and six days a week.

The regulations will also cover daily and weekly working hours, overtime, weekly rest days, and work on paid holidays, according to the Sindh Factories Act 2015, the Payment of Wages Act 2015, and other relevant labor laws.

Moreover, Complaints about wages below these rates can be filed with the Board under Section 13 of the Sindh Minimum Wages Act 2015 and Rule 16, 2021.

Industries must adhere to these wage rates, and any variable allowances or welfare benefits provided will not be deducted from the minimum wage. Government, semi-government, and private institutions must ensure that tenders comply with these minimum wage rates.