Introduction
The road transport sectors working conditions are typically seen to be exhausting. Long working hours and extended periods of time away from home and family are common for drivers around the world. Further challenges of this occupation include, being exposed to road safety risks, prolonged sitting and in some cases even violence and assault.
In the European Union working conditions typically vary for drivers from different countries, in some cases it has been seen that Western European countries tend to have better working conditions for drivers than those from Eastern European countries. As the road transport sector is quite a competitive one, many businesses are trying to get an edge by reducing their operating and labour costs through any means possible to improve their ability to charge customers the lowest prices. As such the basic working conditions for drivers have deteriorated and European trade unions have stepped in to ensure that drivers are treated and paid fairly.
An example can be seen by the German regulatory authorities who have tried to help and ensure that certain standards are upheld through the enforcement of a minimum wage in accordance with MiLoG the Minimum Wage Act.
What is a minimum wage declaration?
In a German context a minimum wage declaration is a document that enables a company to formally declare that they are abiding by the wage regulations for Germany, according to MiLoG.
Here’s an example of a downloadable German minimum wage declaration:
This document contains:
Brief details of the minimum wage law, in this case it is the German Minimum Wage Law (MiLoG).
The current minimum gross hourly rate as well as the upcoming change, in this case and increase.
A declaration to ensure that subcontracted parties follow the German Minimum Wage Law (MiLoG).
Indemnity for any claims made against the company that will be engaged.
Why is it important?
Failure to pay the statutory minimum wage in international road transport can result in a fine, of varying amounts depending on the country and legal basis concerned.
If you’re a carrier in Germany and you need to provide proof that your company meets the minimum wage requirements? Head over here and use the TrustedTrucks German minimum declaration template to save yourself some time!
