Remember, I said earlier this week the Act is old and we need to exercise common sense? Now this is one of them – working hours & break time.
The Act says that an employer can work the employee up to 5 consecutive hours followed by a 30 mins break or up to 8 consecutive hours followed by a 45 mins break.
You see, the Act was curated for estate & mine workers initially, so they probably brought tiffins to work.
Today, we need to give time for employees to walk to the kedai kopi, order food, eat, chit-chat with co-workers a bit before walking back to the office, so 30 mins is no longer enough. Perhaps 45 is, if there is a canteen like at factories.
Thus, the practical way now for most is 4 hours consecutive work followed by 1 hour break. Common sense.
Another one, in the Act you can also see this phrase used “attempted to inform his employer” within 48 hours or 2 consecutive working days. Well, zaman dulu-dulu, there no mobile phones & WhatsApp, so in today’s context, it’s very hard to justify how one could not “attempt to inform his employer” the same day. Again, common sense.
Just like in all things we do, apply common sense we shall, including the 67-year-old Employment Act.
Happy Weekend Everybody! I am going to the Big Circus tonight and tomorrow the Big LOL show. It’s going to fun one for me, hope it’s the going to be the same for you!
Bimbo
#EA1955 #HRMatters #CommonSense
