Employers are required to pay wages on time and in full, and workers are entitled to a penalty for each day of delay, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population reminded citizens, offering guidance on where to turn when wages go unpaid, according to infohub.kz.

As the ministry noted on its website, one of an employer's main obligations is to pay workers on time and in full. The specific pay date is set by an employment or collective agreement, but payments must be made at least once a month and no later than the first ten days of the following month.

What should you do if your wages are delayed? According to the ministry, a worker can first approach the employer to clarify the reasons for the delay and demand repayment of the debt.

"If the issue is not resolved, the worker has the right to contact the territorial department of the Committee for State Labor Inspection of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the employer's location. An application can also be submitted electronically through the eOtinish system," the ministry said.

Applicants are advised to attach any available documents confirming the employment relationship and the wage arrears. These may include the employment contract, pay slips, bank statements, orders and other supporting materials.

"If there are grounds, state labor inspectors carry out inspections in the manner established by law. If the debt is confirmed, the employer is issued a binding order to remedy the violation, including repayment of the wage arrears. Compliance with the order is monitored by state labor inspectors. The employer must pay the worker not only the wage arrears but also a penalty for each calendar day of delay. Its amount is calculated based on 1.25 times the base rate of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan in effect on the day the wage obligation is fulfilled," the Ministry of Labor explained.

What liability does an employer face? Failure to pay wages in full and on time, as well as failure to calculate and pay the penalty through the employer's fault, carries administrative liability under Article 87 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The fines are as follows: for officials — 30 MCI (129,760 tenge); for small business entities or non-profit organizations — 60 MCI (259,500 tenge); for medium-sized business entities — 100 MCI (432,500 tenge); for large business entities — 150 MCI (648,750 tenge).