Hot weather subsidy to rise

The minimum monthly subsidy for work in hot weather is to rise to 300 yuan (US$43.5), Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau announced on Tuesday.

The subsidy is usually given out from June to September to employees who work outdoors or in environments where the temperature is higher than 33 degrees Celsius. It has been 200 yuan per month since 2011.

The bureau said the payment is an essential part of an employee's salary under such conditions, and it is illegal for employers to refuse to pay. It cannot be replaced by the cost for cold drinks provided at the workplace, and neither should it be calculated as part of the standard minimum pay. On April 1, the minimum pay in Shanghai was raised by 60 yuan to 2,480 yuan per month.