Government official: Higher wages feed into increased benefits
If the minimum wage goes up by a fifth, related benefits such as sick pay or and maternity benefits would also increase, a ministry of innovation and technology official has said, adding that the salaries of higher earners would also grow further.
Referring to the National Consultation public survey, Tamas Schanda, the ministry’s parliamentary state secretary, said on Facebook on Sunday that the argument could be made that raising the minimum wage to 200,000 forints (EUR 563) would strengthen Hungary’s economy.
An opposing argument is that the burdens on small and medium-sized firms, which employ two-thirds of workers, would become too onerous, he added.
He appealed to the public to help decision-makers make an informed decision on the matter by submitting their completed forms by Aug. 25.
