Quebec's minimum wage to rise May 1

General minimum wage to go up 25 cents per hour

Quebec’s general minimum wage is going up 25 cents an hour on May 1, 2012.

The general minimum wage will rise from $9.65 to $9.90. Employees who receive tips will have their wages raised from $8.35 to $8.55.

Raspberry pickers will see an increase from $2.84 per kilogram to $2.91 per kilogram and strawberry pickers will see an increase from 75 cents per kilogram to 77 cents per kilogram.

On the same day the province will also introduce new measures for board and lodging. Currently, if an employee is required to live at or have meals at the employer’s establishment, the Commission des normes du travail allows employers to deduct a maximum of $1.50 per meal, up to $20 per week, $20 per week for the room and $40 per week for the room and meals.

Beginning May 1, the maximum deductions will be: $2 per meal, up to $26 a week. The deduction will be $25 a week for a room only, $30 a week for a room and meals if the room can accommodate five or more employees and $45 a week for a room and meals where the room sleeps no more than four employees.
 
The amounts will be indexed based on increases in the minimum wage rate without exceeding the consumer price index.

The deduction requirements will apply not only to situations where the employer provides the accommodation, but also to situations where the employer sees to it that accommodation is provided.

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