[Updated from Thursday 19 December 2019 at 10.55 am] The French minimum wage will be increased by 15 euros per month from January 2020, announced by the government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye. The increase is 1.2%, which includes "an increase in inflation rate of 0.7% + half of the increase in wages of workers and employees, or 0.5% ", detAIled the Minister of Labor. The minimum wage will thus amount to 1219 euros net in 2020, while it's 1204 euros net in 2019. The gross hourly rate will increase by 10.15 euro cents, or 8.03 euro cents.
Smic is the acronym for Minimum Interprofessional Growth Salary. It corresponds to the minimum wage in force in France. Employers cannot therefore pay an employee, regardless of their employment contract, below this threshold. The Smic succeeded in 1970 to the guaranteed minimum interprofessional salary (Smig). Since January 1, 2019, the amount of the monthly net Smic is approximately 1204 euros against 1173 euros in 2018. The gross monthly Smic is 1521.25 euros against 1498.47 in 2018. The gross hourly Smic is 10.03 euros. It used to calculate the remuneration of part-time employees. There are Smic specific to certain professions, such as hotel Smic.
France is not the only country with a minimum wage. The highest minimum wage in Europe is Luxembourg, which exceeds € 2,000 per month. The minimum wage in Europe is Bulgaria, at 286 euros per month. There is no minimum wage in Italy and Denmark. The minimum wage is adjusted each year to take account of inflation and wages for the poorest households.