全球最低工資排行：澳洲公民最幸福
The country has the most generous national minimum wage in the developed world, according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
經濟合作發展組織的一份報告顯示，澳大利亞在發達國家中享有最高的國家最低工資。
The report ranked 27 countries that have laws setting a nationwide minimum rate of pay.
這份報告給27個設有國家最低工資的國家作了排序。
Australia's minimum wage workers -- aged 21 and over -- make 15.96 Australian dollars per hour. After tax and other deductions, that's equivalent to $9.54, once the difference in the cost of living is taken into account.
澳大利亞最低工資的工人年紀在21歲及以上，每小時掙15.96澳元。去除稅和其他扣款，要是把生活成本差異考慮進去的話，相當於9.54美元。
"They have a high minimum wage. And interestingly they have a low tax burden," said Herwig Immervoll, the author of the OECD report. "Australians recognize that supporting low wage earners through the tax system is important."
“他們的最低工資很高，有意思的是，他們的稅收負擔很輕，”經合組織報告的作者赫爾維·易馬福說道。“澳大利亞人意識到通過稅務系統支持低薪工人很重要。”
Other countries have set higher hourly rates but they also tax minimum wage workers more, leaving them with less in their pockets.
其他國家定了較高的單位小時工資，但他們對持最低薪水的工人的稅收也高，因而工人們口袋也比較乾癟。
The U.S. ranked 11th on the list, with a federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. That leaves workers with take-home pay of $6.26 per hour.
美國在排行榜上位居11名，聯邦最低時薪是7.25美元，即稅後到手時薪爲6.26美元。
However, the U.S. would move up the rankings if state minimum wage rules were factored into the equation. Roughly half of U.S. states have rules ensuring workers are paid more than the federal minimum, Immervoll said.
不過，要是美國綜合考慮國家最低工資規則各種因素的話，美國的排名還是會提升的。美國大約有半數州規定要確保工人的收入高於聯邦最低收入，易馬福說道。
The OECD report shows that a single Australian minimum wage worker with two kids could work just six hours per week to lift themselves above the poverty line, because they would also receive state benefits.
經合組織報告顯示，帶倆娃、拿最低工資的單身澳洲人每週只需工作六小時就可以脫離貧困線，因爲他們同時還享受國家福利。
In the U.S., the same worker would have to clock in 50 hours per week to escape poverty. In the Czech Republic, it would take 79 hours of work per week.
在美國，同一個工人得每週打卡上班滿50小時才能逃脫貧困水平。在捷克，同樣情況每星期得工作79小時才行。
Eight countries, including Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, were not included in the report because their governments do not set national rules on minimum pay. Many of them have strong labor unions and established arrangements for collective bargaining, which means governments don't have to step in.
有八個國家，包括芬蘭、瑞典還有瑞士沒有納入報告，因爲其政府沒有設定國家最低工資規則。這其中多數國家的工會強勁，並且會安排勞資雙方集體談判,也就是說政府不必就此問題介入。
Here are the top five countries for hourly minimum wages, based on the latest OECD data from 2013:
如下是經合組織2013年所採集的五大最高時薪國家的數據：
1. Australia - $9.54
澳大利亞9.54美元
2. Luxembourg - $9.24
盧森堡9.24美元
3. Belgium - $8.57
比利時8.57美元
4. Ireland - $8.46
愛爾蘭8.46美元
5. France - $8.24
法國8.24美元
Countries with the lowest take-home minimum wages include Latvia, Chile and Mexico, which is bottom of the list with a rate of about $1 per hour.
稅後實得工資最低的國加有拉脫維亞、智利和墨西哥，排名最末的工資每小時僅1美元。
