Minimum wage

A recent survey sheds light on the evolving trends in Christmas bonuses among Bulgarian employers, indicating a shift in their approach towards year-end rewards.

Bulgaria has surged to the forefront of EU countries for its remarkable wage growth in the third quarter of 2023, showcasing an impressive 15.8% increase in hourly wage costs compared to the same period last year.

The decline in unemployment continued in October, with the jobless rate falling to 8.5 percent, the lowest level since November 2012.

The unemployment rate, which stood at 11.1 percent in October 2022, has been declining steadily since June this year.

The commission, comprised of representatives from the government, employers' and labor unions, is set to hold the first round of talks on the minimum wage for millions of workers today.

The Minimum Wage Determination Commission will meet four times in December before announcing the wage, which will take effect in 2024.

The intervention attempted in the taxation of freelancers and the self-employed could find resistance everywhere: Those affected may consider it too high, while salaried employees, who are not able to hide their income, may consider it cowardly, as the income that the self-employed are required to declare is placed at the minimum wage level.

The government announced on Tuesday that as of this year self-employed professionals will be presumed to earn a minimum of 10,920 euros, which under certain conditions will reach €50,000, and will be taxed accordingly through the declarations to be submitted in 2024.

The minimum wage in Croatia will increase by 20% from the New Year - the first increase since the country adopted the euro as its main currency at the start of the year.

The government in Zagreb decided on Wednesday that the minimum monthly salary for 2024 will be 840 euros gross and 677 euros net.

Online gig work is growing globally, particularly in the developing world, creating an important source of employment for women and young people in poorer countries where jobs are scarce, according to a World Bank report released Thursday. 

For the positions listed, employers offer maximum monthly salaries ranging from 1,000 to even 3,000 euros. The significant demand for specific professions coupled with a shortage of labor force has caused significant shifts in the job market, experts say.

Metro and tram workers in the western province of İzmir on July 31 went on strike as the negotiations between the municipality and the unions over a new wage increase failed to reach an agreement.