base pay compensation consumer price index cost of living cost-of-living index dismissal wage earnings escalator clause escalator plan financial remuneration gross income guaranteed annual wage hire income living wage minimum wage net income pay pay and allowances payment payroll portal-to-portal pay purchasing power real wages remuneration salary severance pay sliding scale standard of comfort standard of life standard of living take-home taxable income total compensation wage wage control wage freeze wage reduction wage rollback wage scale wages wages after deductions wages after taxes