Did your boss ask you to work on November 18 or 19? You can ask your boss for triple pay or compensatory time off.
According to the information issued by the Peninsular Labour Department as quoted by The Star, the caretaker Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Esmail Sabri has classified November 18 and 19 as special holidays under Section 60D(1)(b) of the Labour Act 1955 and Section 8 of the Public Holidays Act 1951.
Under the Labor Law and the Public Holidays Law, November 18 and 19 will be a paid holiday, which means that the employer will have to support triple the wages of employees who are required to work on November 18 or 19. Employers may also choose to offer compensatory leave in lieu of triple pay.
This measure is applicable to workers in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, while workers in Sabah and Sarawak are subject to the announcement of the respective state governments.
In addition, employers cannot prevent their employees from voting in any way, nor can they take disciplinary action or deduct wages from employees who go out to vote. If an employer prevents an employee from voting, it is a violation of Section 25(1) of the Electoral Offences Act 1954 and is punishable by a fine of RM5,000 or one year’s imprisonment.
