Minimum wage consultation extended until September
The government says the consultation is being extended until mid-September after "recent interest".
The consultation regarding Jersey's future minimum wage rates has been prolonged until September 18, according to the Jersey Employment Forum. The forum cited "recent interest" as the reason for the extension.
Comprising employee, employer, and independent representatives, the Jersey Employment Forum operates as a statutory, non-political, and independent entity.
Jersey's Chief Minister, Lyndon Farnham, affirmed that the government has "no plans" to eliminate the island's minimum wage, which saw an increase from £13 to £13.59 per hour in April. Farnham's statement came in response to remarks by Sustainable Economic Development Minister Gerald Voisin, who had suggested the minimum wage was "strangling our economy."
Farnham clarified that Voisin's opinions did not align with those of the government or the States Assembly. Voisin's critique of the minimum wage drew reactions from various sectors, with a coffee shop owner labeling his comments "madness" and a charity describing them as "very sinister."
Voisin subsequently issued an apology, stating that he was not advocating for the abolition of the minimum wage but rather highlighting points he believed "had been lacking."