As part of a raft of new employment laws, Deputy Susie Pinel had proposed that she, as the minister, should have the power to set different levels of minimum wage, paving the way for a new over-25s rate – in the UK a new living wage of £7.20 an hour was introduced last month for over-25s only.
But an amendment to Deputy Pinel’s proposition, lodged by Deputy Sam Mézec, to prevent the minister from being able to set different levels was approved by 24 votes to 17 by the States on Wednesday.
Outlining his amendment, Deputy Mézec said that to set a different minimum wage for over-25s would be discriminatory and that giving powers to the minister to do so would send out a confusing message to Islanders just after the States has approved anti-age discrimination laws.
