Work and Wages

This page was last updated on: 2023-12-04

Minimum Wage

Minimum wage is the minimum permissible amount of remuneration for work performed within a basic labour relationship. The Government sets the national minimum wage rates through an official decree keeping in view the cost of living and level of development of wages in the country and in consultation with the representative worker and employer organizations. The law guarantees minimum wage in eight groups according to the complexity, responsibility and difficulty of work performed. The lowest rate, which corresponds to Group 01, is the reference level for the basic national minimum wage. The eight groups are then further divided in 16 grades and every group includes two grades.

Minimum wage is also different for different age groups and for workers with different social conditions (disability). Employees aged 15-18 years are entitled to 80% of the basic minimum wage rate. Employees aged between 18-21 years are entitled to 90% of the basic minimum wage rate for a six month period from the day when the employment relationship commenced. It is relevant to note here that these provisions have been repealed with effect from 2013 and now there is no difference ion remuneration on the ground of a worker’s age. Equal pay for equal work is also guaranteed under the Labour Code.

Government Regulation No. 561/2004 stipulates allowances for apprentices. The minimum amount of allowance is 30% of the minimum wage for an adult worker while there is no limit on the maximum. The level of allowance also depends on a worker’s productivity and there are no deductions from this allowance. 

An employee who receives a disability pension is entitled to 75% of the minimum wage rate. An employee who receives the total disability pension or who is juvenile and has total disability but does not collect the disability pension is entitled to 50% of the minimum wage rate.

Compliance with the provisions of Labour Code including those on minimum wage is ensured by the Labour Inspectorate. Sections 13 and 26 of the Labour Inspection Act lay down misdemeanours and administrative offences concerning remuneration. Depending on seriousness of offence, the Act imposes penalties ranging from CZK 500,000 to CZK 1,000,000 (or the maximum penalty of CZK 2,000,000). The most serious breaches are considered to be the failure to pay wage, salary or remuneration pursuant to an agreement, unauthorised wage deductions, etc. Workers can directly file a complaint with the Labour Inspection Office or through trade union.

Sources: §111-112 of Labour Code No. 262/2006; Ordinance No. 567/2006 on minimum salary, minimum level of guaranteed salary, on determination of hazardous work environments and on salary supplement for work in hazardous work environments amended by Regulation 246/2012; §122 of the Education Law (561/2004); §13 and 26 of the Labour Inspection Act (No. 251/2005)

For updated minimum wage, kindly refer to the section on Minimum Wages

Regular Pay

In accordance with art. 141 of Labour Code, the wage for the work done must be paid in the month following the month in which an employee's entitlement to wages or salary arose. The pay period is set as one month in labour Code however it does not require the employer to pay wages by a certain date. The Labour Code rather requires that a regular pay-day for wages/salary payment must be agreed between the parties. The Labour Code also requires that wages must be paid to the employee in legal tender, at the workplace and within working hours.

Source: §141, 142 of Labour Code No. 262/2006

Regulations on Work and Wages

  • Nařízení č. 567/2006 o minimální mzdě, minimální výši zaručené mzdy, o určení prostředí s nebezpečím výbuchu a o příplatku za práci v rizikovém pracovním prostředí, ve znění nařízení 246/2012 / Ordinance No. 567/2006 on minimum salary, minimum level of guaranteed salary, on determination of hazardous work environments and on salary supplement for work in hazardous work environments amended by Regulation 246/2012
  • Zákoník práce č. 262/2006, 2012 / Labour Code No. 262/2006, last amended in 2017

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