Wage guidelines should be treated as such: GUIDELINES.

It is very difficult to enforce minimum wages. What would the labour authorities prefer, lower wages or no jobs? If they insist that house helps get paid the Sh7,600 and employers feel they can't afford it, will the country be better off if these worker were laid off?

If put out an advert for house-helps and clearly stated that the wage will be Sh3,000, would it be illegal to employ those who apply? I mean, they new that was the salary on offer when they applied.

I agree entirely. In most countries where minimum wage regulations exist, the rate of unemployment increases because employers will not always afford to pay what the government is prescribing. Then ironically, the wages are set to protect those who are considered to be the most vulnerable employees but end up hurting them. An employer who is forced to fork over Kshs. 7,500 WILL demand the stuff MaichBlack has indicated in his post since s/he will want more value for that money. People who have little to show by way of education, skills or experience will wind up UNEMPLOYED.

The other irony is it criminalizes consensual agreements to work at a wage below the set minimum. There are hundreds of Kenyans who are willing to work for below that amount but can now not negotiate to get those jobs.