Topic: minimum wage
Costs of CINICO home-care programme spiralling
Finance and Economic Development Minister Rolston Anglin has described CINICO’s home healthcare programme as a “Pandora’s box that got opened.”
MP warns about ‘unintended consequence’ of minimum wage
Bodden Town East MP Dwayne Seymour said that people are “suffering silently” with the “unintended consequence” of raising the minimum wage to $8.75.
Seymour,...
Minimum wage set to meet a strong labour market
On 1 Jan. 2026, the minimum wage will rise to $8.75 amid an increase in hiring activity for lower-paid positions.
Letter to the Editor: Cayman needs ‘living wage’, not ‘minimum wage’
Writer says introducing a higher minimum wage is not a panacea for the economic woes of the poorer residents of the Cayman Islands.
From haircuts to hamburgers, prices are going up across Cayman
A combination of an increase to the minimum wage and new work permit and immigration fees have been blamed for rising prices.
Minimum wage increase ‘just the start’, minister vows
Government on Wednesday vowed that the $2.75-an-hour increase in the minimum wage to $8.75 was just the start of a bigger plan to combat poverty.
Plans to increase Cayman’s $6 minimum wage on hold for now
Plans to increase Cayman's minimum wage are on hold for now, Immigration Minster Michael Myles has confirmed.
Opinion: 10 ready-made policies for the next government
Ten ideas for politicians to consider.
WORC isn’t working, says Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber of Commerce urgently called for stronger leadership within WORC and the creation of a national employment policy.
Average wage levels could ‘hide’ poverty figures, says finance expert
The latest Cayman income survey underlines the need for a boost to the minimum wage, an expert has said.
Labour minister flip flops on minimum wage stance for certain sectors
In an apparent change of heart Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour has said he will be seeking support from his government colleagues for more low income workers to get a minimum wage increase next year, however domestic workers will not be included in this effort.
‘A slap in the face’: Shock and dismay among low-income workers over minimum wage...
Low income workers reacted with shock and disappointment Monday as government announced it would not be following the recommendations of an expert committee to increase the $6-an-hour wage for most workers.
Minimum wage remains unchanged for most, except service workers
Cayman's minimum wage, which has been previously described as below the “starvation wage,“ will remain unchanged until next July when only hospitality and service workers will benefit from a new wage of $7 per hour.
Minimum Wage Committee reviewing public input on proposed increase
Cayman's Minimum Wage Committee is now in the process of reviewing community feedback on its recommended wage increase from $6 to $8.75 an hour, which seeks to help improve the lives of low-income workers here.
Businesses could face higher bills for 2,500 workers already above minimum wage
International comparisons of Cayman's minimum wage have caused some to ask whether the planned increase to $8.75 should go further - but others call for caution because of the knock-on costs to businesses.
Cayman’s minimum wage one of the least generous in the world
Set against other economically developed states, comparable island nations, and even other low-tax economies, Cayman's national minimum wage sits almost last among 35 countries analysed by this newspaper.
Hospitality leaders reject minimum wage grats change
The proposed phasing out of gratuities to supplement a lower minimum wage within the hospitality industry has been met with protest from industry leaders who say the changes will further burden struggling businesses.
Labour minister a no-show as government punts minimum wage report to public
Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour, who is charged with taking the findings of Cayman's long awaited minimum wage report forward, was noticeably absent from Wednesday's media conference to address questions on the future of the recommended wage uplift.
Proposed minimum wage increase only 16%, according to government figures
The proposed increase in the national minimum wage would make the country’s poorest households only around 16% better off despite looking like a 46% rise, according to Cayman’s leading economist.
New minimum wage of $8.75-an-hour proposed for Cayman
A new minimum wage of $8.75-an-hour has been proposed to help move low income workers in the Cayman Islands out of poverty.
Low-wage workers lose hope as minimum wage report stalls
Cayman's minimum wage report will not be heading to Parliament for debate on Monday, but will instead be released for public comment, further delaying any increase in the existing wage, which has been described as below the 'starvation rate'.
Year in review: Christmas dinner more expensive this year
The financial strain that many in the Cayman Islands felt after having faced record inflation in 2022 did not relent in 2023 as interest rates and the cost of living continued to trend upwards adding to an already difficult economic climate.
Saunders: Cayman must meet international labour standards
Former Labour Minister Chris Saunders has called on government to take the necessary steps to bring the Cayman Islands up to international standards when it comes to workers' benefits and wages.
Minimum wage report delivered to government
The report recommending Cayman’s new minimum wage has been delivered to government for review and further action.
Special report: 10 issues that raising minimum wage won’t resolve
The Cayman Compass looks at 10 key issues raised by our reporting on the minimum wage – ranging from rental exploitation and food prices to childcare and public transport deficiencies – that will also need attention, no matter what government decides about wages.
Expat workers send US$300M in money transfers home each year
Expatriate workers in Cayman sent nearly USD $300 million home last year, according to the latest data from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority.
Cayman consumers happy to tip for good service but resent supplementing wages
Customers at Cayman restaurants, hotels speak up about their views on the island's tipping culture in a Compass survey that attracted hundreds of responses.
Spotlight on service: When $4.50 an hour can add up to $60,000 a year
Bolstered by an automatic gratuity, of between 15% and 20% added directly to the bill as well as additional tips from customers, some servers in the Cayman Islands' most popular venues are pulling in as much as $70,000 annually.
Share your thoughts on tipping culture in Cayman
Most restaurants and bars in Cayman now add an automatic gratuity of at least 15% to the bill. Some include as much as 20%.
Proper contracts and enforcement needed for domestic workers’ rights
Cayman families that hire domestic helpers or other staff could be required to provide proper written contracts in an effort to help stamp out abuse, the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee will recommend.
‘Treated like a slave’: Domestic helpers tell of bullying and abuse
Nannies, caregivers and domestic helpers in the Cayman Islands spoke out about low wages, bullying and abuse as part of our ongoing series.
Hit or miss? Interest rate control and other policy ideas unpacked
In recent weeks and months, several policy ideas have been bandied about, from establishing a body to control interest rates, to setting a new minimum wage for the islands, to formalising how import concessions are done. Simon Cawdery takes a look at a number of these policy ideas in a bid to sort out the wheat from the chaff.
Special report: Low-wage employees working ‘70-hour weeks’
As our minimum wage series continues, security guards and landscapers tell us how they survive on low wages and we look at the economics of those industries in Cayman.
Cayman life is not ‘milk and honey’, warns minimum wage expert
The chair of the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee issued a warning to low paid foreign workers this week, not to expect a life of luxury in the Cayman Islands.
The story in data: How does Cayman’s minimum wage measure up globally?
As part of our ongoing minimum wage series, the Compass, takes a dive into the data around the island's minimum wage.
Special report: Spotlight on Cayman’s $6 minimum wage
What does six dollars mean in Cayman? A cup of coffee. A loaf of bread. An hour’s labour for perhaps as many as 3,600 workers. In a month-long series starting today, the Compass takes a deep dive into the economics of minimum wage work.
Warning over jobs and business risk if minimum wage is ‘too high’
Cayman's new minimum wage can't go 'too high' without risking job losses, business closures and cost-of-living impacts, according to the chair of the review committee.
Bermuda minimum wage more than double what Cayman pays
Bermuda's wage tsar Cordell Riley was stunned at both the minimum wage rate and the cost of food in Cayman on a recent trip to the islands.
Tourism minister: ‘We have not been paying enough’ minimum wage
Cayman’s tourism minister has admitted the minimum wage is too low, following accusations that the tourism industry “is built on the backs of slave labour”.
Seymour sceptical of benefits of raising minimum wage
Minister for Labour Dwayne Seymour said increasing the minimum wage is “not a big benefit” to most Caymanians and may leave them unable to afford services such as private nannies.
$6 minimum pay below ‘starvation wage’, review committee head says
Cayman's $6-an-hour minimum pay is below a "starvation wage", according to the head of a committee charged with reviewing the figure.
Minimum wage report expected by end of June
The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee has said it expects to have its report ready by the end of June, barring any delays in its deliberations.
Scott: Businesses on ‘even keel’ to tackle cost-of-living hikes
The removal of the remaining COVID-prevention barriers in Cayman has left the tourism sector on an "even keel", even as the jurisdiction faces external factors inhibiting economic growth on a larger scale, according to Chamber of Commerce President Shomari Scott.
Broad support among industry leaders for minimum wage review
Cayman’s $6-an-hour minimum wage is desperately in need of review, business and training leaders have acknowledged.
Saunders: Minimum wage ‘absolutely way too low’
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders said a committee is being assembled to review Cayman's existing $6 minimum wage which he described as "absolutely way too low."
Strategic Policy Statement: Highway expansion among government promises
Major investment in Grand Cayman’s road network and reforms of the education system to put more power in the hands of principals, teachers and parents are among the key policy initiatives proposed by government for the coming years.
Local bar owner sentenced in minimum wage case
James Harry Moore, the operator of Caymanite Bar and Lounge, was sentenced in Summary Court Monday for 17 counts of failure to pay national minimum wage and public holiday remuneration.
Employer admits not paying minimum wage
An employer appearing in Summary Court on Thursday entered pleas to 18 charges of failure to pay the national minimum basic wage.
Violators of minimum wage law investigated
Several firms are under investigation on suspicion of failing to pay employees the legal minimum wage, officials revealed this week.
Government anticipates rise in unemployment
A recent precipitous drop in the Cayman Islands unemployment rate is not expected to continue this year, according to government’s own estimates.
Department of Labour and Pensions launches new website
Cayman Islands’ employers and employees can now visit a new website and Facebook page launched by the Department of Labour and Pensions last week.
Rivers: Labour Relations Bill to be revised
Cayman Islands Employment Minister Tara Rivers confirmed Thursday that the government intends to bring a revised version of updated labor legislation to the Legislative Assembly during 2016.
EDITORIAL – Minimum wage: The very least Cayman can do
The new minimum wage of $6 per hour takes effect March 1. We don’t anticipate much cheering in the streets — and we certainly don’t expect any broad economic benefits over the long run.
Government issues minimum wage order
The Progressives-led Cabinet is proceeding with its plans for a $6 per hour minimum wage despite a recent high-profile dispute between Employment Minister Tara Rivers and Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, the territory’s largest business representative organization over sweeping changes to the Labour Law.
Minimum wage coming in six weeks
Government will introduce a $6-an-hour minimum wage on March 1, Premier Alden McLaughlin announced at the Cayman Economic Outlook conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand...
