Govt raises domestic workers pay

Domestic workers in Malawi have now a reason to smile after the government has raised their daily rate of payment from K178.25 to K317.

The District Labour Officer for Blantyre, Frank Adini told the Malawi News Agency this week that the law on the new daily pay has already been gazetted.

He said the decision, which came into effect on 1 July, was made by a forum comprising of representatives of trade unions, employer organizations and the Ministry of Labour.

Following the development, all employers are being warned that they should not engage any domestic worker if they cannot afford to pay them the new rate because doing so would be a crime punishable by law.

The Employment Act empowers the Minister of Labour to revise the minimum wage for domestic workers after consultations with relevant stakeholders.