As we go about our daily lives in Malawi, it is easy to take for granted the hard work and dedication that go into building our nation.
However, many of us are unaware of our basic rights as workers. We work long hours, often without fair compensation and sacrifice precious time with our loved ones. It is time to change that.
We need to unlock fairness and understand the labour laws designed to protect us.
We deserve to know the truth about our working hours, overtime pay, and the benefits to which we are entitled.
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We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and to be compensated fairly for our hard work.
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Understanding our rights allows us to break free from exploitation and build a better future for ourselves and our families.
We can work with confidence, knowing that we are protected by laws that prioritise our well-being. So, let us take the first step today.
Let us unlock fairness and discover the power of knowledge. Together, we can create a more just and equitable work environment for all.
Under Malawi’s Employment Act, overtime is determined by custom, practices of a given profession, legislation, or agreement between employers and workers (Section 32).
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This means that you and your employer can agree on overtime terms that benefit both parties.
But did you know that normal working hours are capped at eight hours a day if you work 6 days a week, and 12 hours a day if you work five days a week (Section 31)? Exceeding these hours means you are entitled to overtime pay.
So, what exactly is overtime? In Malawi, there are three classes of overtime: ordinary overtime (time worked beyond usual hours), day off overtime (time worked on your day off) and holiday overtime (time worked on a public holiday) (Section 33).
For each hour of ordinary overtime, you must be paid at least one and a half times your hourly wage (Section 34). For day off or holiday overtime, you must be paid at least twice your hourly wage (Section 35).
