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This WageIndicator Data Report presents the results of the face-to-face WageIndicator survey in Benin, conducted between the 15th and 19th of October 2012. The survey aimed to measure in detail the wages earned by Beninese workers, including the self-employed. In total 2,002 persons were interviewed in towns and cities of nine out of twelve departments of Benin. The workers in the survey live in households with on average 3.6 members, including themselves. Over half of both male and female workers live with a partner and children. Just over four in ten workers had diplomas from secondary education, 16% of workers followed no formal education, one in four stopped at elementary education and 16% followed tertiary education. Women are more likely to have no education and less likely to have enjoyed tertiary education. On a scale from 1=dissatisfied to 10=satisfied, respondents rate their satisfaction with life as a whole a 5.6 on average. In the sample, one in four workers are self-employed. Two in ten workers are employees with a permanent contract, three in ten workers have fixed-term contracts, whereas one in four have no contract at all. On average, respondents have worked for 11 years. Over six in ten people in the sample work in an organization with 10 or fewer employees (65%); the self-employed and workers without education do so almost exclusively. Ten per cent of workers are covered by a collective agreement, whereas 49% wish to be. Participation in schemes and bonuses is generally low, while health care schemes (11%) and pension schemes (10%) are most common. The average usual working week of respondents is 57 hours in 5.8 days. Four in ten workers regularly work shifts, two in three workers report working Saturdays, while three in ten work Sundays. Just 21% state that they are entitled to social security, whereas 31% contribute to it. Three in ten employees state that they have no agreed working hours, 36% has agreed working hours in writing 36%, and 34% verbally agreed. Three in four workers are paid cash in hand and seven in ten workers report receiving their wage on time. On a 5-points informality-index, ranging from 1=very informal to 5=very formal, 43% of workers are in the lowest category in the index, whereas 10% are in the highest category. In the sample, 57% report being employed as managers, which includes many small business owners, 14% are services and sales workers and 9% as clerical support workers. Over four in ten respondents work in trade transport and hospitality, 32% in the public sector, 11% work in agriculture, manufacturing and construction and 12% in commercial services. The median net hourly wage of the total sample is 214 Franc (CFA). Two in ten workers earn less than 100 Franc per hour, 28% earn between 100 and 200 Franc, 26% earn between and 200 and 400 Franc and 27% earn more than 400 Franc per hour. Employees with permanent contracts have by far the highest earnings (427 CFA), whereas workers without a contract (132 CFA) have the lowest earnings. At 166 CFA, workers in firms with less than ten employees earn the lowest wages, whereas employees in firms of over a 100 employees earn the highest wages (463 CFA). Those on the lowest end of the informality scale earn only 144 CFA per hour, whereas those in the highest category earn wages far above that (median is 577 CFA). Men have higher wages compared to women, and young workers have substantial lower wages than workers in the oldest age group. Both workers with second cycle secondary education (289 CFA) and those with tertiary education (586 CFA) earn above average wages; workers without education earn the lowest wages (148 CFA). Managers have the highest median wages (260 CFA), service and sales workers the lowest (137 CFA). By industry, the highest wages are earned in agriculture, manufacturing and construction (262 CFA) and the public sector, health care, and education (258 CFA). Workers in commercial services (189 CFA) and in trade, transport, and hospitality (185 CFA) earn considerably less. The analysis shows that 70% of the sample is paid on or above the minimum wage rate of CFA 31,652 per month gross. Just four in ten workers without contracts earn the minimum wage rate, whereas 95% of employees with permanent contracts do. Workers in firms employing between 51 and 100 people are most often paid above the minimum wage (94%), compared to only 56% of workers in firms employing 10 or less people. Only 47% of the most informal workers are paid the minimum wage, compared to 99% of the most formal workers. Women are less likely to paid the minimum wage than men (68% versus 71%). The older and more highly educated workers are, the more likely they are to be paid above the minimum wage rate. Eight in ten managers and crafts workers are paid the minimum wage rate, whereas only 42% of those in elementary occupations do. Workers in commercial services are most at risk of being not paid above the minimum wage (only 53% are), while public sectors are most likely (81%). |
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