The Department of Employment and Labour’s National Minimum Wage Commission is inviting all interested parties to submit written representations concerning possible adjustments to the national minimum wage for 2022.

The deadline to do so is 1st October, the department explained in a media statement last week, also outlining how best to share comment.

Whether said comment will be taken onboard remains to be seen, but the national minimum wage should be a discussion that involves in many parties as possible.

In terms of channels for communication, email or post has been listed, but the latter might miss the aforementioned deadline. For communications via email, comments should be directed to nmwreview[at]labour[dot]gov[dot]za.

Should post be your only recourse, letters should be sent to Employment Standards, Department of Employment and Labour, Private Bag X117, Pretoria, 0001.

In February this year, the national minimum wage for each ordinary hour worked increased from R20.76 to R21.69 with effect from 1st March 2021.

“It is illegal and an unfair labour practice for an employer to unilaterally alter hours of work or other conditions of employment in implementing the NMW. The NMW is the amount payable for the ordinary hours of work and does not include payment of allowances (such as transport, tools, food or accommodation), payments in kind (boarding or lodging), tips, bonuses and gifts,” the department added in its statement for those wondering what the wage should cover or entail.

“In terms of the NMW Act of 2018, the policy instrument is a floor level below which no employee should be paid,” it added.

With unemployment at an all time high, businesses shuttering their doors and essential workers being put under more strain than ever as a result fo the pandemic, the conversation around the national minimum wage needs to be had.

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