More than one in five employees in Germany works in the low-wage sector. Around 7.8 million jobs are paid below the low wage threshold of 12.27 euros gross per hour, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Monday for the earnings survey carried out in April. That corresponds to a share of 21 percent. Compared to 2018, the number has fallen by almost 250,000. According to the international definition used here, the low-wage sector includes all employment relationships that are paid with less than two thirds of the median earnings. In the coalition agreement, the new federal government agreed to raise the statutory minimum wage to twelve euros per hour. According to this, 7.2 million employees in the low-wage sector would benefit from this increase in the statutory lower wage limit, it said. That corresponds to a share of 92 percent.
Federal Statistical Office – 7.8 million low-wage jobs – economy
