Work and Wages
Minimum Wage
How is the minimum wage set? The minimum wage in Moldova is set by the Government decision following tripartite consultations between the Government, employers’ associations, and trade unions. Who determines the minimum wage? The Constitution of Moldova allows all people to have the right to a minimum wage, which is set by the government through legislation in force, but only on the condition that workers fulfil their work obligations during working hours. Is there a separate minimum wage legislation? The minimum wage is regulated by the law on the method of establishing and reviewing the minimum wage, as well as the Labour Code. Law of the Republic of Moldova "About Compensation" No. 847-XV of 14 February 2002 defines the economic, legal, and organisational principles of worker compensation. Do one or more minimum wages exist? The minimum wage is uniform nationwide and mandatory for all employers, regardless of ownership or legal form. Sectoral or regional minimum wages are not defined by law, but collective agreements may stipulate higher levels. What are the criteria for determining or updating the minimum wage? The minimum wage represents the minimum amount of remuneration assessed in national currency, an amount established by the state for simple, unskilled work, below which the employer is not entitled to pay for the monthly or hourly work rate performed by the employee. It does not include additions, increments, or incentive payments. Moreover, it applies only to work-related payments, while pensions, scholarships, taxes, fines, and other non-work-related payments are determined separately. The amount of the minimum wage is determined and re-examined on the basis of economic conditions, average wages in the national economy, the forecast level of the inflation rate, and other socio-economic factors. Work is remunerated per unit of time by agreement in both tariff and non-tariff wage systems. Moldova’s wage system establishes two primary approaches to employee compensation: the tariff wage system and the non-tariff wage system. The tariff wage system represents a set of standard rates that determine wage differentiation based on quantity, quality, and working conditions. On the other hand, a non-tariff wage system represents ways of differentiating salaries based on individual and/or collective performance and the function held by the employee. Unlike the tariff wage system, which relies on predetermined scales and coefficients (allowing for salary differentiation based on employee qualifications and complexity of work), the non-tariff system offers employers more flexibility in determining wages. Is the updating of the minimum wage regulated by law? When is the minimum wage updated? According to Law No. 1432/2000, the Government reviews and updates the minimum wage at least once a year. Does the law provide that the minimum wage must cover the living expenses of the employee? While no explicit guarantee is made, the law requires that the subsistence minimum be considered during wage reviews. The increase in the level of real content of the salary is ensured by indexing the salary in relation to the increase in consumer prices for goods and services. The guaranteed minimum wage is indexed annually according to the evolution of the consumer price index and consumption in accordance with the legislation in force. While setting the minimum wage, the Government considers: ● Average wage in the national economy ● Forecasted inflation rate ● Consumer Price Index (CPI) ● GDP volume ● Labour productivity ● Minimum subsistence Is there a government institution for minimum wage complaints? The State Labour Inspectorate is tasked with monitoring and enforcing compliance with labour laws, including minimum wage regulations. Does the Labour Inspectorate investigate minimum wage compliance? Yes, the State Labour Inspectorate is responsible for ensuring employer compliance with wage laws. Are there legal sanctions if compliance is lacking? The legislation does not specify penalties for failing to meet the minimum wage requirement. However, the Minor Offences Code sanctions labour law violations with fines. In accordance with the Labour Code of the Republic of Moldova, where salary or other employment-related payments (including vacation allowance, severance pay, and bonuses) are withheld due to the employer’s fault, the employee is entitled to compensation. The employer is legally obligated to pay a penalty of 0.3% of the outstanding amount for each day of delay, calculated from the due date until full payment is made.
Source: §43 of the Constitution of Moldova 1994, last amended in 2016; §35, 41, 130-133 & 330 of the Labour Code of Moldova 2003, last amended in 2025; Law No. 1432 of 2000 on the method of establishing and reviewing the minimum wage; Law No. 140 of 2001 regarding the State Labour Inspectorate; §55 of the Minor offence code 2008, last amended in 2025
For updated minimum wage rates, please refer to the section on minimum wage.
Regular Pay
What does the term "wages" mean? How is it defined in the Labour Code or other relevant law on payment of wages? The Labour code defines remuneration as monetary compensation that includes the basic salary (tariff or job salary) along with all allowances, bonuses, prizes, and other incentives or compensation payments granted by the employer under the individual employment contract for the work performed. Salaries reflect labour market demand, work complexity, conditions, skills, responsibilities, effort, and performance.
What does the law say about regular and timely payment of wages?
The salaries are paid to the employee or any person authorised by power of attorney, at the workplace or by bank transfer.
Depending on the type of compensation arrangement, the legislation establishes clear requirements for how frequently wages must be paid: For Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Piecework Employees: ● Wages must be paid not less than twice per month. For Monthly Salaried Employees: ● Wages must be paid not less than once per month. For Short-term Work: ● For work lasting less than two weeks, payment must be made immediately after completion of the work.
Specific Payment Dates ● The specific days for wage payment are established in collective or individual labour contracts.
It is the duty of the employer to provide details, including the amount, remuneration form, calculation method, payment frequency, and conditions of the salary.
Employers select payment systems (time-based or performance-based, tariff or non-tariff) after consulting employee representatives and must apply job evaluation and classification systems to set salary levels. Salaries are paid in the national currency, except for employees working abroad, who may receive payment in the currency specified in their contract. Employers and employees can agree on a salary amount in foreign currency, but payment must be in the national currency at an exchange rate not lower than the official rate set by the National Bank of Moldova. Wages can be paid in cash or transferred to the employee’s account, with service fees covered by the employer. Payment in kind is strictly prohibited.
The Labour Code requires employers to prioritise wage payment over other obligations, even during insolvency. Employers must ensure funds are available for employee wages and take measures to prevent non-payment. If a company becomes insolvent, employee compensation cannot be less than the legal minimum wage. For wage delays exceeding a month, employers must adjust salaries based on inflation for each delayed month. The Government, along with employers and unions, determine how to calculate compensation for delays.
Within how many days of the end of the wage payment period, should wages be paid?
The Moldovan Labour Code does not explicitly mandate the number of days within which wages must be paid after the end of a wage payment period. However, salaries must be paid according to the schedule set in the employment contract. Employees paid by the hour or by task must be paid at least twice a month, while those on a fixed monthly salary must be paid at least once a month.
What does the law say about deduction from wages? An employer may deduct to recover employee debts in cases such as:
a) Advance issued on the salary account; b) overpayments due to calculation errors; c) to cover the unspent and unrefunded advance provided for work-related travel or relocation; d) to repair the material damage caused to the unit due to the fault of the employee.
Employers must issue a withholding order within one month from the due date of the debt, the discovery of overpayment, or the identification of damaged material. In case of dispute, the employer or employee can get the matter resolved through the court.
In case of the release of the employee before completing the work year for which the leave was taken, the employer can deduct the amount from unearned leave days, except in cases like retirement or enrolment in an educational institution. Additionally, any salary overpayment made by the employer cannot be reclaimed as a result of calculation errors.
Salary deductions cannot exceed 20%; in case of multiple deductions or legally specified terms, deductions should not exceed 50% per pay period. For alimony payments considering minor children, deductions cannot be as high as 70% of the salary. If salary deductions are insufficient to satisfy the creditors, the available amount is distributed among them in a manner as provided by the Legislation in force. Deductions from the severance pay, compensation payments and other payments, not defined by the law, are not allowed. What are the provisions on 13-14th month pay or other compulsory bonuses? There is no legal requirement for employers to provide a 13th or 14th-month salary, but Increments, bonuses and other incentives and compensation payments are granted to the employee by the employer based on the individual employment contract for the work performed.
Source: §1, 128, 130, 137, 138, 141, 142, 144, 145, 146, 148, 149, & 150 of the Labour Code of Moldova 2003, last amended in 2025
