TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There is no plan to freeze the official minimum wage at NT$24,000 (US$867) this year, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Tuesday (June 15).

Current meetings of the relevant review committee have been replaced by video conferences, though there is no decision yet to change the format of the final meeting expected in August, CNA reported.

The official minimum wage rose on Jan. 1 by 0.84 percent from NT$23,800, the lowest rate of increase since a freeze in 2016. The hourly wage rose by 1.3 percent to NT$160, which was the lowest rate of increase in a decade.

Despite rumors in the media, MOL officials denied a freeze had been discussed, emphasizing that the review committee included representatives of labor, employers, government, and academics.

Any decision will be based on an analysis of factors including the national economy, wages, inflation, and family income, the MOL said. The evolution of the current COVID-19 surge is difficult to predict, but no freeze for minimum wages has yet been on the table, according to the CNA report.