Gender indicators within labor market

Abstract

This research paper aimed to review the main social indicator, which is used to assess poverty and quality of life, as well as to calculate minimum wages, minimum pensions and basic social payments. The traditional way of measuring poverty is based on income. A family is considered poor when its income falls below the minimum level needed to meet the basic needs of its members. In the written and electronic literature this level is usually called the subsistence level or the poverty line. Currently in our country, there is a lack of official data regarding the vital minimum indicator. In this way, Albania is the only one among the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe, without an official indicator of the defined subsistence minimum, which means that our country currently lacks the basic level of poverty measurement. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the World Bank,the IMF, the Trade Unions, the People’s Advocate, and the Albanian Parliament have from time to time addressed suggestions to the government for setting the official minimum wage indicator. We believe that from this point of view, this study can also serve to revise economic growth strategies and reduce poverty. The living wage indicator is also used in other studies, to be compared with salaries, pensions, etc., but also with the total income of employees on the basis of family budgets. The study will serve to compare the official minimum living wage for an employee with the minimum wage and the size of pensions, social assistance, unemployment benefits, etc. As it is known, in Albania, the level of pensions is determined by law, while the level of the minimum wage, the amount in value of economic assistance, payment of unemployment and disability payment are determined by a Decision of the Council of Ministers. None of these poverty indicators is directly based on the vital minimum indicator.