Law governing minimum wage of workers amended

Monday, 28 July 2025 04:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Randima Attygalle

An amendment to the National Minimum Wage of Workers Act was brought in last week repealing certain provisions in the 2016 Act, including those pertaining to the minimum monthly wage of all workers.

With effect from 1 January 2026, the national minimum monthly wage of all workers in any industry or service shall be Rs. 30,000 and the national minimum daily wage of a worker shall be Rs. 1,200 as per the Amendment.

The Amendment also makes provisions for all workers to be paid a national minimum monthly wage of Rs. 27,000 and a daily wage of Rs 1080 for a period with effect from 1 April to 31 December this year.

The Amendment also makes provision for the inclusion of the budgetary relief allowances in the national minimum monthly wage. The law also prohibits reduction of wage and allowances of any worker in any industry or service in a manner that would negate the increase made to the national minimum wage by the amendments brought to the 2016 Act.

The new law also spells out that the Commissioner-General shall issue directives to any employer, including the final employer who obtains the services of any worker in any industry or service through an intermediary or contractor to take all necessary measures to ensure that the increase made to the national minimum wage through the amendments are duly implemented.