Minimum Wage

[KvHagedorn]

In the U.S., minimum wage is $5.15/hr. How does this compare to the U.K., Canada, Germany, etc?

[agallag]

In Canada it varies by province, but is significantly higher:

http://canadaonline.about.com/library/bl/blminwage.htm

We are taxed more to compensate though

[Nowhere]

It's not defined in the same way, but...

Minimum monthly wage, when working fulltime, is 899,10 zł gross, so 642 zł net. Fulltime is basically 8h per day, 5 days per week. So assuming 4 weeks in a month (good enough I guess with all the holidays during year...), it's 4,01 zł/h
Right now, exactly 1€/h.
Or 1,28$/h

If you operate in gross payment, that would be:
5,62 zł/h
1,41 €/h
1,79 $/h

[Goc]

Croatia minimum - around 2US$/hr

Yay - it's crap I know. I am considered to have good pay by local standards and I get roughly 5$/hr.

EDIT:

Oh yeah... tax is already deducted from those numbers,

[Dr Mordrid]

The US minimum wage also varies by State and is almost universally higher than the Federal statue, which is why the Feds setting one is almost laughable. In truth the Federal law only affects a very small percentage of US citizens; those who are involved in interstate commerce who are not covered by union contracts or are not indepenent contractors.

A funny thing happened a few years ago regarding the miniumum wage:

The Republican leaders put forth a proposal to reform the miniumum wage law and tie it to the inflation index, thereby giving minimum wage earners, Federal and State, inflation protection. It passed the house with votes to spare.

Unfortunately the Democrat leadership nixed it in the Senate by threatening a fillibuster (debate lockdown). This while the rank and file Democrats were willing to vote for it.

Why? It would have largely solved the problem, and without that problem there is no campaign issue.

Pretty much the way their leadership treats many other issues, even if the rank and file Democrats want to join with Republicans and actually solve the problem(s) at hand.

[Umfriend]

Euro 7.81 over here (assuming 23 years of age or older) and that excludes 8% "holiday" money, so ends up at 8.43.

I have lived on little more than minimum wages for about 16 months, I was 18 at the time and at that age the minimum was about 45% of the normal >=23 wage. I lived pretty well on that at the time. Now, it would be a near impossibility as the fixed cost of living, relatively, has risen enormously (mainly housing rents, energy and fixed taxes and levies).

Income taxes alone take about euro 1.12 out of that 7.81.

If you need anything else, just give a shout.

[schmosef]

In Canada it varies by province, but is significantly higher:

http://canadaonline.about.com/library/bl/blminwage.htm

We are taxed more to compensate though

Yeah, cost of living is higher here.

But I think it's even higher in the EU.

[schmosef]

Croatia minimum - around 2US$/hr

Yay - it's crap I know. I am considered to have good pay by local standards and I get roughly 5$/hr.

EDIT:

Oh yeah... tax is already deducted from those numbers,

Is that just payroll related taxes (like unemployment insurance) or does that include income tax?

[Dr Mordrid]

Low income earners are exempt from US income taxes and get what's called an "Earned Income Tax Credit", which is essentially a yearly government grant. They have to file a tax return to get it, but it can run up to $4,400 USD.

Up to an income of $15,000 you get the full amount then the scale slides until you're inelegible at incomes > $35,000. Married couples filing jointly add $2,000 to those limit numbers.

Those that have minor children and incomes under $110,000 also get the Child Tax Credit, which amounts to another $1,000 per kid.

~11-12 states have their own EITC and child benefits in addition to the Federal programs.

If the mother or father get Social Security, such as my disability benefit, then you also get another check for minor children or those over 18 but still in college/trade school etc. That varies in amount, but it runs about half the adults benefit.

[Fat Tone]

Not sure exactly here, but its over £5 ph. I'm amazed at the low rate in the US. We have simillar sliding scales, allowances, credits etc. Child tax credit is means tested depending on childcare costs - this year we are doing nicely out of that - over £100 a month on top of £110/month Child Benefit.

[cjolley]

Low income earners are exempt from US income taxes and get what's called an "Earned Income Tax Credit", which is essentially a yearly government grant.
...

The EITC is supposed to help poor people with the payroll tax (~15%) which applies to all payroll income below about 85,000/year so it is not entirely a grant. Just the portion over the 15% (if there is any).

[Dr Mordrid]

Theory and practice

[cjolley]

Which brings up another question.
Do any other countries have a flat tax on payrolls that applies only to middle and lower incomes that compares to the US's payroll tax?
Inquiring minds want to know...

[Dr Mordrid]

Chile has a privatized social security system w/worker contributions like Bush wanted to set up and it's doing quite well. At least that isn't a pyramid scheme like our current system

[dbdg]

I though it was £4.85 for the UK going up to £5.05 on the 1st of October, that may have been last year though.