Lukashenko signs decree on wages

On February 12, 2024, the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, signed a Decree "On Ensuring Payment of Wages and Remuneration." According to the document, the State Labour Inspection Department gains the authority to mandate the rectification of violations identified during inspections of non-payment, not only of wages but also of remuneration under civil law contracts. If requirements are not met, recovery is carried out through extrajudicial means, and the department may initiate enforcement proceedings on behalf of a citizen. The decree also increases the amount of priority payments deducted from employers toward settling wage arrears, raising it from 1.5 to 3 budgets of the minimum subsistence level, thereby strengthening social protection for workers.