Without our wonderful staff we would not have our much loved hotel and restaurant in Port Antonio Jamaica. It is for that reason we believe in paying a monthly living wage to each and every member of our team including all our trainees which is neither dependent on age or gender. Tips for our staff are shared equally amongst the whole team and because we do not use tips to make our team members wage liveable, tips can be saved or used towards a well earnt treat for themselves and their families.
Tips – A Reward not a Top Up to Get By
Jamaica is one of the most expensive islands to live in the Caribbean due to the amount that the island needs to import which is why the monthly minimum wage in Jamaica is high J$22,400, US $1,800 gross. Our trainees start at J$ 30,000 and the average minimum wage amongst our team is J$ 45,000.
During the low season in Jamaica as occupancy levels drop so do tips which is why we recommend booking a sustainable hotel who believes in fair pay and assuring their team members that their living needs will be met irrespective of occupancy levels.
If you feel that the service in a sustainable Jamaican hotel or restaurant has been outstanding we recommend leaving a 10-15% tip.
Sustainable Hotels Create a Viable Economic Future for Jamaica
Sustainable hotels like Hotel Mockingbird Hill do not employ staff on a casual contract, which is the norm within much of the tourism sector in Jamaica, particularly at the all-inclusive resorts in the west of the island. Casual contracts allow the larger hotels to increase their profit margins by avoiding paying the obligatory statutory deductions and contributions required by the Jamaican government for their full-time employees.
These contributions are vital for Jamaica’s long-term economic development and include pension payments, a necessity for an aging population and additionally to the very important National Housing Trust which enables Jamaicans to borrow money to purchase land or build/buy a house at low interest rates.
Healthcare for the Mockingbird Team
Although health care is free in Jamaica the waiting time to see a doctor is extensive. Each of Hotel Mockingbird Hill’s long standing employees enjoy the benefit of our private group health insurance policy which guarantees decent health care for them and their family and immediately covers them in the event of major crises.
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So commendable. It’s heartening to read of the fairness with which you treat all staff. Well done!
Thanks Carolyn – they are the most important part of the hotel and deserve to be rewarded for its success.