#1 United States<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAccording to the latest\u00a0Current Employment Statistics survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>, the most common salary period frequency in the United States is biweekly (43%). This means that workers are paid every two weeks. The next most common salary period frequency is weekly (27%), semi-monthly (19.8%), and only 10.3% of employers pay salary once a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"blob:https:\/\/dollarsandsense.sg\/e9948e19-015d-41a5-a245-81740675e43f\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nInterestingly, the size of the company also appears to determine which frequency is more popular. The larger the company, the more likely it is to offer biweekly salary periods. This is not surprising due to the different legal requirements within each state, with some of the most populated states like California, Texas, and New York all requiring workers to be paid at least twice a month. It makes sense to standardise the salary period frequency across the entire business, which may span various states, according to the most stringent requirements of state law in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"blob:https:\/\/dollarsandsense.sg\/f7111fa7-3aef-4568-8aba-5fb0382c1360\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAnother factor that comes into play is the type of industry. A weekly salary period is preferred in construction, manufacturing, mining, and logging industries in the United States. These industries typically hire hourly workers with nonstandard schedules, often on a project basis. Weekly salary periods ensure that hourly workers are also compensated quickly when they put in overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read Also: <\/em><\/strong>How Much Employers Have To Pay Employees For Working On A Public Holiday?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#2 Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Canada, while there is no federal law mandating a specific salary period, several provinces within the country, such as British Columbia and Quebec, do have explicit laws on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In British Columbia, for example, it is a requirement for employees to be paid at least twice per month. Specifically, the law states that \u201cpay periods cannot be longer than 16 days\u201d<\/a>, giving companies the option of paying biweekly or semi-monthly. In Quebec, a distinction is made between managerial and non-managerial personnel<\/a>. Non-managerial personnel must be paid at least twice per month, while managerial personnel can be paid monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor those reasons, the Canadian government sets the standard by paying its workers biweekly<\/a>, and many companies in Canada also follow their lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n#3 Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile Australian government policy states that workers must be paid at least once a month, the most common pay cycle across all industries<\/a> is fortnightly (53%), followed by weekly (33%). Only 12% of employees in Australia are paid monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat said, there are specific industry laws that require employers to pay their workers weekly or biweekly, such as in the retail, hair and beauty and security industries. For other industries like health and food and beverage, employers must seek the agreement of a majority of employees if they want to pay monthly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the data, the only industry where more employees are paid monthly than fortnightly is the mining industry, and that\u2019s most likely due to the fly-in fly-out (FIFO) nature of the work at remote locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read Also: <\/em><\/strong>12 Things Employers Need To Include In An Itemised Payslip<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#4 Russia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Russia, employers are required by law to pay salaries twice a month. However, a change to the Russian Labor Code in October 2016<\/a> further established that wages must be paid no more than 15 days apart, failing which employees are within their rights to stop working till they are paid, and are entitled to receive interest on the unpaid amount daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, the size of the company also appears to determine which frequency is more popular. The larger the company, the more likely it is to offer biweekly salary periods. This is not surprising due to the different legal requirements within each state, with some of the most populated states like California, Texas, and New York all requiring workers to be paid at least twice a month. It makes sense to standardise the salary period frequency across the entire business, which may span various states, according to the most stringent requirements of state law in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another factor that comes into play is the type of industry. A weekly salary period is preferred in construction, manufacturing, mining, and logging industries in the United States. These industries typically hire hourly workers with nonstandard schedules, often on a project basis. Weekly salary periods ensure that hourly workers are also compensated quickly when they put in overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: <\/em><\/strong>How Much Employers Have To Pay Employees For Working On A Public Holiday?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n #2 Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Canada, while there is no federal law mandating a specific salary period, several provinces within the country, such as British Columbia and Quebec, do have explicit laws on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In British Columbia, for example, it is a requirement for employees to be paid at least twice per month. Specifically, the law states that \u201cpay periods cannot be longer than 16 days\u201d<\/a>, giving companies the option of paying biweekly or semi-monthly. In Quebec, a distinction is made between managerial and non-managerial personnel<\/a>. Non-managerial personnel must be paid at least twice per month, while managerial personnel can be paid monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those reasons, the Canadian government sets the standard by paying its workers biweekly<\/a>, and many companies in Canada also follow their lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n #3 Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While Australian government policy states that workers must be paid at least once a month, the most common pay cycle across all industries<\/a> is fortnightly (53%), followed by weekly (33%). Only 12% of employees in Australia are paid monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, there are specific industry laws that require employers to pay their workers weekly or biweekly, such as in the retail, hair and beauty and security industries. For other industries like health and food and beverage, employers must seek the agreement of a majority of employees if they want to pay monthly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the data, the only industry where more employees are paid monthly than fortnightly is the mining industry, and that\u2019s most likely due to the fly-in fly-out (FIFO) nature of the work at remote locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: <\/em><\/strong>12 Things Employers Need To Include In An Itemised Payslip<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n #4 Russia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Russia, employers are required by law to pay salaries twice a month. However, a change to the Russian Labor Code in October 2016<\/a> further established that wages must be paid no more than 15 days apart, failing which employees are within their rights to stop working till they are paid, and are entitled to receive interest on the unpaid amount daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n