Minimum Wage
The main provisions on the setting of minimum wages are contained in the Labour Code.
The government is responsible for fixing the national minimum wage for employees engaged in the agricultural sector, the industrial and commercial sector, and liberal professions. The determination of the minimum wage is a consultative process whereby the government considers the opinions of the relevant stakeholders, i.e., different employer and worker organisations. It must also take into account several factors, which include the cost of living and economic development. Minimum wage rates are also determined through collective agreements, but they must not be lower than statutory minimum wage rates set by the government.
Minimum wage in Morocco is designed to ensure basic purchasing power. It is calculated hourly for non-agricultural work (including bonuses and supplements, whether in cash or in-kind) and daily for agricultural work (excluding in-kind benefits). Piece-rate workers must earn at least the minimum wage unless a documented shortfall in output is directly attributable to them. Any agreement to pay less than the minimum wage is considered legally null and void.
The government sets two national minimum wage rates for employees and workers carrying out agricultural work and for workers in the industrial and commercial sectors and liberal professions.
Labour Inspectors are responsible for monitoring compliance with the labour legislation, which includes monitoring minimum wage levels. In non-compliance with the statutory minimum wages, the Code imposes a fine ranging between 300 to 500 Dirhams. In addition, the concerned employees are reimbursed for any outstanding difference between the minimum wage rate and the amount paid.
Source: §345, 356-360, 361 and 532 of the Labour Code (Law No 65-99),2003
For updated minimum wage rates, please refer to the section on minimum wage.
Regular Pay
The provisions on the payment of wages under Moroccan law are found in the Labour Code.
The period of wage payment is different for various categories of employees. Manual workers must be paid at least twice a month with a maximum interval of 16 days . Employees must be paid at least once a month. Salespersons at least once every three months and workers who perform specific tasks for more than two weeks must be paid every two weeks.
Payment for piecework or any work requiring more than fifteen days can be agreed upon, but employees must receive advances every 15 days and full wages within 15 days of completing their work. Hourly or daily wages must be paid within 24 hours of dismissal or within 72 hours if the employee resigns.
In non-agricultural sectors, wages must be paid per hour unless a fixed schedule is established, except for piecework, commission-based, or fixed-wage employees.
The wage payment must be made in Moroccan currency and on a workday. Paying in places of recreation such as parks or bars is prohibited.
Employers are required to display the date, day, hour and place of wage payment and, where applicable, the payment of instalments.
The wage payment must be recorded in a payslip (given to the worker and indicates pay and all necessary details about the duration and any deductions) and a wage book (kept by the employer as a record).
Furthermore, employers cannot deduct employee debts from wages, except for necessary work tools, materials in the employee's custody, or advances for such items. Financial advances provided by the employer must be repaid in instalments, with each deduction not exceeding one-tenth of the employee’s wage. These deductions are separate from wage attachments and transfers, and wage advances do not count as financial advances.
Moreover, employees’ wages can be seized, and the seizure is capped at 1/20 for wages below 4 times the legal minimum wage. The percentage increases progressively with higher wages, reaching 1/3 for wages up to 20 times the legal minimum wage. Beyond this threshold, there is no limit on the amount that can be seized.
In Morocco, there is no legal provision in the Labour Code that mandates the payment of a 13th or 14th month salary or any compulsory annual bonus under general labour law
Source: §362-368 & 385-387 of Labour Code, 2003
