As of 31 March 2026, the Gig Workers Act 2025 is officially in force. The law affects freelancers including Grab drivers, content creators, and businesses that work with gig talents.
Here are 5 highlights in the Act you need to know.
For Gig Workers:
1. You must be informed of your pay rate before accepting any job.
2. If no payment date is set, you must be paid within 7 days of completing your service.
3. A platform cannot deactivate your account without written notice, a proper investigation of up to 14 days, and giving you the right to be heard.
4. You are now covered under SOCSO through the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (LINDUNG KENDIRI). Your platform provider is legally required to register you, deduct contributions from your earnings, and submit them to SOCSO on your behalf.
5. You now have a clear path to justice. You must first lodge a complaint through your platform’s internal grievances mechanism (they have 30 days to resolve it), then escalate to a Conciliator at JPP, and finally to the newly established Gig Workers Tribunal, whose decisions carry the same legal weight as a Sessions Court order.
For Employers & Platforms:
1. Every service agreement must clearly document pay rates, duration, obligations, and payment methods. Any term less favourable to the worker than what the Act provides is automatically void.
2. If you are a platform provider, registering your gig workers under SOCSO and making mandatory contribution deductions is not optional. Failing to do so is a criminal offence carrying penalties of up to 2 years’ imprisonment and fines up to RM10K.
3. Deactivating a worker without due process (written notice, investigation, right to be heard, and written explanation) is a criminal offence. If the deactivation is found to be unjustified, you may be required to reinstate and compensate the worker.
4. You cannot make deductions from a worker’s earnings outside what the Act permits. Workers are also entitled to request a formal earnings slip for verification purposes.
5. Non-compliance with a Gig Workers Tribunal award or any provision of the Act may result in fines up to RM50K, imprisonment of up to 2 years, and personal liability for directors, managers, and company officers.
If you work with gig talent or earn through a platform, now is the time to understand your rights and responsibilities.
xoxoxo, AuntyHR
