Tony's **basic rate** is 10 dollars an hour

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
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Woman: Well, I have to pay my employees a certain amount per hour to work from 8 till 4. But if they work after 4, if they work over that time, I have to pay them overtime.

Man: You have to pay them more?

Woman: Yes, I have to pay them time and a half.

Man: Well, how does that work?

Woman: Well, Tony’s basic rate is 10 dollars an hour.

Man: Oh, his basic rate is how much he earns per each hour.

Woman: Yes, for the hours he works between 8 and 4, I pay him a basic rate of $I0 an hour. But if he works an extra hour, suppose he works until 5 o’clock, then I have to pay him time and a half.
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1- What does “basic rate” mean?

2- What is the best synonym for “basic rate”?

Thank you

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Base or normal rate charged. This is what he charges for work done during normal business hours. Overtime or holiday pay are calculated based on this rate
Basis rate: $10.00
Overtime (150%) : $15.00
Holidays (200%) : $20.00

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Thank you so much, Arinker :rose:

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1- What does “basic rate” mean? >>> The minimum rate.

2- What is the best synonym for “basic rate”? >>> lowest rate, base rate, bottom rate, essential rate ,minimum rate etc

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Thank you so much, Anglophile :rose:

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Here we are talking about what someone is paid, so you wouldn’t normally go below the basic rate, but if you’re talking about a company doing work for you, they could go below their basic rate.

Garage Manager: Our basic labor rate to fix your car is $15.00 per hour, but things are slow, so I’ll give you a 10% discount.

So in this case it’s not necessarily the minimum, but the basis from which everything else is calculated.

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Thank you so much, Arinker :rose:

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In certain places, governments have stipulated basic rates of wages below which the employees must not be paid. However, on negotiated terms, the rates may be fixed at the level to which both the parties are agreeable, which is outside the purview of the government.

In a private deal between individuals, this question may not arise. They are absolutely free to decide on the rate as they like!

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