He moonlighting –known as the number of workers who have more than one occupation– increased by 13.5% to Septemberdespite the fact that this year the Government has approved upward adjustments both for the minimum wage and within the non-sectorized private sector, while private companies reported individual increases of up to 40% of their staff.
This increase was higher than that of September 2024 – when a year-on-year increase of 12% would be reported – according to an analysis by the Treasury and Economy.
This also occurs in a context in which the employed population was located in 5,149,829 people to the third quarter of 2025 after the generation of 119,965 jobsfor a year-on-year growth of 2.4%, a rate much lower than the trend of seeking a second source of income.
Elderly moonlighting in health and construction
Until Septembera greater moonlighting in the health sector, with a growth of 5.3 percentage points, according to the report “Sector overview“, recently published by Treasury and Economy.
This occurred during a quarter in which sector unions such as the bioanalystsnurses, psychologists and administrative staff from several health centers in Santo Domingo and Santiago they made work stoppages in claim of salary increases and fair pensionscarrying out many of these stoppages between last August and September.
In Septemberhe National Health Service (SNS) reported that salary adjustments to nursing assistants and graduates and a reclassification of up to 960 assistants who became recognized as graduates.
![[object HTMLTextAreaElement]](https://resources.diariolibre.com/images/2025/09/09/gremios-de-enfermeria-exigen-cumplimiento-de-acuerdos-al-gobierno-d21c150f.jpg "Multiple employment grows 13.5% as of September, despite salary adjustments")
Thus, the salary for auxiliaries had increased from 25,709 in August 2020 to 40,370 in August of this year, while that of nursing graduates went from 31,713 pesos in August 2020 to 49,885 pesos in the same month of this year. The institution reported that a next increase is projected in 2026with average salaries projected at 42,388 pesos and 52,379 pesos for January of this year, respectively.
Another sector in which the moonlighting was in construction, with an incidence of 2.8 percentage points compared to September from 2024, according to the document.
This productive segment has been one of the hardest hit by the slowdown of the economy this year, going from an accumulated growth of 3.7% to September from 2024 to a drop of 2.0% to September 2025, according to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD).
He transport came in third place, with an increase of 2.5 percentage points to Septemberwhich is significant when compared to September past, in which moonlighting had declined by 1.1 percentage points, according to a report from the former Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (Mepyd).
This sector has also seen its economic activity slowed down over the course of the year, with growth of 4.1% in October, 1.4 percentage points less than in the first nine months of 2024, in which it will register an increase of 5.5%.
Occupations like teaching, local manufacturingcommunications, hotels, bars and restaurants, commerce, mines or agriculture register minimum increments or almost zero until September this year according to recently published data.
The greatest drop in moonlighting is observed in sectors such as “other services” (-1.5%), public administration (-1.1%), financial intermediation and insurance (-0.5%), energy and water (-0.3%) and free zones (-0.2%).
In particular, a 25% increase in the minimum wage was applied to the free zone sector, with 13% starting last June, and the remaining 12% to be received starting June 1, 2026. On this same date, an adjustment was also approved for employees in the hotel sector, which was also applied in two stages: 15% in June of this year and another 15% for next June. In this sector, moonlighting registered a growth of only one percentage point.
Salary increases
He National Salary Committee (CNS) has agreed on a series of gradual increases to the minimum wage since 2020 with the aim of improving the income received by workers in small, medium and large companies in the non-sectorized private sector.
The last adjustment to minimum wage It contemplated an increase of 12% as of April 1, 2025 and an additional 8% in February 2026, for a total increase of 20%. The increase would bring the minimum wage to the threshold of 34,685.01 pesos per month, amount from which the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII) begins to retain the income tax (ISR) to employees.
Raise the amount of minimum wage pressures companies to improve other salaries, because this is closer to amounts that employees would be earning in middle management or with specialized functions.
According to the twenty-sixth Compensation Survey and Benefits 2025made by the firm Macros Consulting Last July, companies in the Dominican Republic applied salary increases up to 40% in the last year. The highest amounts were observed in productive segments such as health (18%), stock market positions (15%) and advertising (15%).
Still, these rises do not seem to have had a downward impact on moonlightinga condition that is usually motivated because the income from the main source of employment is insufficient for workers.
{ it.style.width = width + px; it.style.flexShrink = 0; }); } function goTo(i) { currentIndex = i; const width = slider.clientWidth; container.style.transform = translateX(- + (width * currentIndex) + px); updateDots(); } function next() { if (currentIndex === items.length – 1) goTo(0); else goTo(currentIndex + 1); } function prev() { if (currentIndex === 0) goTo(items.length – 1); else goTo(currentIndex – 1); } function updateDots() { dotsContainer.querySelectorAll(li).forEach((d, idx) => { d.classList.toggle(active, idx === currentIndex); }); } function initDots() { dotsContainer.innerHTML = ; items.forEach((_, i) => { const li = document.createElement(li); const btn = document.createElement(button); btn.addEventListener(click, () => goTo(i)); li.appendChild(btn); if (i === 0) li.classList.add(active); dotsContainer.appendChild(li); }); } if (prevBtn) prevBtn.addEventListener(click, prev); if (nextBtn) nextBtn.addEventListener(click, next); initDots(); setup(); window.addEventListener(resize, setup); }); }); Thus, the salary for assistants had increased from 25,709 in August 2020 to 40,370 in August of this year, while that of nursing graduates went from 31,713 pesos in August 2020 to 49,885 pesos in the same month of this year. The institution reported that the next increase is projected in 2026, with average salaries projected at 42,388 pesos and 52,379 pesos for January of this year, respectively. Another sector in which moonlighting also grew was in construction, with an incidence of 2.8 percentage points compared to September 2024, according to the document. This productive segment has been one of the hardest hit by the slowdown of the economy during this year, going from an accumulated growth of 3.7% as of September 2024 to a fall of 2.0% as of September 2025, according to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD). Transportation came in third place, with an increase of 2.5 percentage points until September, which is significant when compared to last September, in which moonlighting had declined by 1.1 percentage points, according to a report from the former Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (Mepyd). This sector has also seen its economic activity slow down over the course of the year, with a growth of 4.1% in October, 1.4 percentage points less than in the first nine months of 2024, in which it recorded an increase of 5.5%. Occupations such as teaching, local manufacturing, communications, hotels, bars and restaurants, commerce, mining or agriculture register minimal or almost zero increases until September of this year according to recently published data. Sectors in which this trend decreased The greatest drop in moonlighting is observed in sectors such as “other services” (-1.5%), public administration (-1.1%), financial intermediation and insurance (-0.5%), energy and water (-0.3%) and free zones (-0.2%). In particular, a 25% increase in the minimum wage was applied to the free zone sector, with 13% as of last June, and 12% Remaining % that must be received from June 1, 2026. On this same date, an adjustment was also approved for employees in the hotel sector, which was also applied in two stages: 15% in June of this year and another 15% for next June. In this sector, moonlighting registered a growth of only one percentage point. Salary increases The National Salary Committee (CNS) has agreed on a series of gradual increases to the minimum wage from 2020 with the aim of improving the income received by workers in small, medium and large companies in the non-sectorized private sector. The last adjustment to the minimum wage contemplated an increase of 12% as of April 1, 2025 and an additional 8% in February 2026, for a total increase of 20%. The increase would bring the minimum wage closer to the threshold of 34,685.01 pesos per month, the amount from which the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII) begins to withhold income tax (ISR) from employees. Raising the amount of the minimum wage puts pressure on companies to improve other salaries, because it is closer to amounts that employees in middle management or with specialized functions would be earning. According to the twenty-sixth Compensation and Benefits Survey 2025, carried out by the firm Macros Consulting last July, companies in the Dominican Republic applied salary increases of up to 40% in the last year. The highest amounts were observed in productive segments such as health (18%), stock exchanges (15%) and advertising (15%). Even so, these increases do not seem to have had a downward impact on multiple employment, a condition that is usually motivated because the income from the main source of employment is insufficient for workers. “/>
