The lowest paid employees in the Dominican Republic have been the most affected by the pandemic crisis

Workers whose wages do not exceed RD $ 15,000 per month (US $258/mo) have been the most affected by the coronavirus pandemic that has changed the country since the beginning of March and forced the closure of non-essential companies and industries until mid-May.

Between March and May, the number of active employees who were contributing to the Social Security Treasury (TSS) fell from 2,250,140 to 1,717,798, a net reduction of 532,342 people suspended or canceled from their positions, equivalent to a 23.6% drop.

In the last three months, 258,564 workers with salaries between RD $ 10,001 and RD $ 15,000 stopped contributing to the Treasury, representing 48.5% of the workers who during that period were removed from their positions.

In March 2020, the TSS registered 815,013 workers in the salary as mentioned above range, falling in May to 556,449.

Likewise, employees who earned less than RD $ 10,000 have also been affected, although to a lesser extent. Workers in this salary range affected by the crisis total 7,963, just 1.4% of the total.

Meanwhile, the companies suspended or canceled 140,306 workers who earned wages from RD $ 15,001 to RD $ 20,000, representing the second segment most affected by the effects of the pandemic.

People who earned a salary within the referred range went from 423,420 in March to 283,114 last month, representing 26.3% of the total number of workers who stopped contributing during that period.

Employees with a salary higher than RD $ 20,001 who stopped contributing between March and May totaled 125,509, equivalent to 23.5% of those affected, according to Treasury statistics.

Those who earned wages between RD $ 20,001 and RD $ 25,000, and who were suspended or canceled, totaled 44,910 people between March and May. Meanwhile, those who earned more than RD $ 25,000, who also lost their jobs, added 80,599 workers.