Almost 40% of Romanian employees earn not much above minimum wage

While the number of employees paid the minimum wage in Romania is only 1.06 million (-3.6% y/y), accounting for 16% of the total number of labour contracts, the number of employees earning just above the minimum gross wage (RON 4,050 - 4,100 or around EUR 800) was 1.63 million, according to Ziarul Financiar, based on data obtained from the Labor Ministry.

Thus, the share of Romanians earning the minimum wage or just above it is in fact 2.6 million, or above 39% of the total, according to the daily.

Under the emergency ordinance 142/2021, which entered into force on January 1, 2024, no employer can maintain an employee on the minimum wage for more than two years, regardless of whether they work full-time or part-time.

(Photo source: Aaron Amat/Dreamstime.com)