Minimum Monthly Guaranteed Wage for 2019: € 600

PUBLICAÇÕES SÉRVULO 27 Dez 2018

During the period of the Economic and Financial Assistance Programme, the Portuguese State had the obligation of not increasing the minimum monthly guaranteed wage ("MMGW"), unless specifically justified in light of economic developments and the labour market. This resulted from Measure 4.7 of the Memorandum of Understanding on Specific Economic Policy Conditionality, entered into in 2011 between Portugal and international partners (the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank).

After the conclusion of the assistance programme, the Government approved Decree-Law No. 144/2014, of 30 September, increasing, from 1 October of that year (2014), the value of the MMGW from 485 Euros to 505 Euros. In 2015, through Decree-Law No. 254-A/2015, of 31 December, which came into force on January 1, 2016, the MMGW was updated to 530 Euros. Decree-Law No. 86- B/2016, of December 29, increased the MMGW to 557 Euros in 2017 and Decree-Law No. 156/2017, of December 28 foresaw an increase of the MMGW to 580 Euros in 2018. Finally, Decree-Law No. 117/2018, of December 27[1] increases de MMGW to 600 Euros in 2019.

Decree-Law No. 117/2018 will enter into force on January 1, 2019 implementing the provisions of the Labour Code that recognize the employees’ right to a MMGW, whose value is determined each year by specific legislation, after consultation with the Permanent Commission for Social Dialogue.

Accordingly, from January 1, 2019, employers shall proceed with the payment of the MMGW, with the breach of this obligation being qualified as a very serious misdemeanour (‘contraordenação muito grave’).

Rita Canas da Silva

rcs@servulo.com