Politician raises concerns over future of Jersey trainees
The Council of Ministers increased the minimum wage from £11.64 to £13 per hour on 1 April 2025.The Better Business Grant is part of a £20m package of support for businesses from the Government during the transition to increased wages, over two years.
'Precarious position'
In his proposal, Andrews said the baseline wage had increased "considerably" and he wanted to ensure there were no "unintended consequences"."Once the living wage package comes to an end, this could leave businesses in a precarious position," he said. "It could mean that trainees may struggle to secure work due to the baseline wage hikes making it unaffordable for firms to recruit trainees."His proposal would see the non-political body, the Jersey Employment Forum, review how increases to minimum wages since 2024 have affected the way companies take on and keep trainees."If there are unintended consequences, then we need to be aware of what those implications are," he said. The earliest time the States can debate his proposal would be on 13 May. If his proposal is successful, the Employment Forum would have until September 2027 to report back to the States with their findings.
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