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The standard work week in Malaysia is 40 hours, with employees generally working eight hours per workday. Business hours of operation typically run from 9am to 5pm.
In Malaysia, employees are usually expected to work a 5-day week from Monday to Friday.
As set out in the Employment Act (1955), an employee’s normal working time should not exceed more than 45 hours per week.
In Malaysia, employees who usually work under 32 hours per week are considered part-time.
Any hours worked beyond normal working hours (max. 8 hours per day/45 hours per week) is considered overtime.
The Employment Act (1955) states that the maximum number of overtime hours should not exceed more than 104 hours in any one month.
Overtime work must be paid at a rate that is no less than 1.5x the hourly rate of pay.
No. Although it is not illegal to work over the weekend in Malaysia, every employee should be given 1 whole day of rest each week.
In Malaysia, employees are entitled to negotiate with their employer about flexible work arrangements, such as a 4-day work week. Although the standard work week in Malaysia is 40 hours from Monday to Friday, Malaysia’s Public Service Department is actively funding studies into the implementation of a 4-day work week. The stated aim of the studies is to assess the impact of 4-day work weeks on various sectors of the economy.
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The maximum amount of overtime an employee in Malaysia can work is 104 hours in any one month.
Overtime work must be paid at a rate that is no less than 1.5x the hourly rate of pay.
Although the standard work week in Malaysia runs from Monday to Friday, the work week and weekend does vary between states. The majority of states and federal territories observe a Saturday to Sunday weekend, whilst a number of states (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu) observe a Friday to Saturday weekend. Regardless, Malaysia’s close business ties with Singapore mean that most private businesses follow a Monday to Friday work week.
