EMPLOYMENT

CHAPTER 55:01
EMPLOYMENT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
PRELIMINARY

    1.    Citation

    2.    Application

    3.    Interpretation

PART II
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

    4.    Prohibition against unlawful labour

    5.    Anti-discrimination

    6.    Equal pay

    7.    Remedies for infringement of fundamental rights

PART III
ADMINISTRATION

    8.    The Labour Commissioner and labour officers

    9.    Powers of labour officers

    10.    Labour officer to notify employer of his presence

    11.    Free access and assistance to a labour officer

    12.    Prohibition against victimization

    13.    Prohibition against revealing secret information

    14.    Prohibition against conflict of interest

    15.    Assistance to small enterprises

    16.    Reports

    17.    Annual general report

    18.    Content of the annual general report

    19.    Identity card

    20.    Obstruction, etc., of labour officers

PART IV
EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS

    21.    Prohibition against child labour

    22.    Hazardous work

    23.    Register of young persons

    24.    Offences against this Part

PART V
CONTRACTS

    25.    Types of contracts

    26.    Probationary period

    27.    Particulars of employment

    28.    Termination of contracts

    29.    Notice of termination of contracts

    30.    Payment in lieu of notice

    31.    Certificate of termination

    32.    Transfer of contract

    33.    Death of employer

    34.    Insolvency of employer

    35.    Severance allowance

    35A.    Gratuity

PART VI
HOURS OF WORK, WEEKLY REST AND LEAVE

    36.    Normal working hours, weekly rest, etc.

    37.    Maximum daily working hours

    38.    Exemption

    39.    Overtime

    40.    Payment for working on public holiday

    41.    Continuous employment

    42.    Successor employer

    43.    Seasonal employment

    44.    Annual leave

    45.    Date of leave

    46.    Sick leave

    46A.    Special work conditions for pregnant or breastfeeding woman

    47.    Maternity leave

    47A.    Paternity leave

    48.    Right to return

    49.    Termination related to pregnancy

PART VII
WAGES

    50.    Payment of wages

    50A.    Deduction of wages for participation in a strike

    51.    Pay statement and record keeping

    52.    Prohibition related to payment of remuneration

    53.    Payment of remuneration on termination of employment

    54.    Setting of minimum wages

    55.    No abatement of minimum wages

PART VIII
DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL

    56.    Disciplinary action

    57.    Justification for dismissal

    58.    Unfair dismissal

    59.    Summary dismissal

    60.    Constructive dismissal

    61.    Proof of reason for dismissal

    62.    Complaints of unfair dismissal

    63.    Remedies for unfair dismissal

PART IX
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

    64.    Disputes and complaints

    65.    Handling of complaints

    66.    Offences and penalties

    67.    Regulations

    68.    Repeals and savings

    69.    Transitional

        FIRST SCHEDULE

        SECOND SCHEDULE

6 of 2000
27 of 2010
17 of 2021
G.N. 47/2000
2/2002
24/2004
11/2011

    An Act to establish, reinforce and regulate minimum standards of employment with the purpose of ensuring equity necessary for enhancing industrial peace, accelerated economic growth and social justice and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.    Citation

    This Act may be cited as the Employment Act.

2.    Application

    (1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act applies to the private sector and the Government, including any public authority or enterprise.

    (2) This Act does not apply to members of the armed forces, the prisons service or the police, except those employed in a civilian capacity.

3.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    “Commissioner” means the Labour Commissioner appointed pursuant to section 8;

    “Court” means the Industrial Relations Court established under section 110 (2) of the Constitution;

    “employee” means—

    (a)    a person who offers his services under an oral or written contract of employment, whether express or implied;

    (b)    any person, who performs work or services for another person for remuneration or reward on such terms and conditions that he is in relation to that person in a position of economic dependence on, and under an obligation to perform duties for that person more closely resembling the relationship of employee than that of an independent contractor; or

    (c)    where appropriate, a former employee;

    “employer” means—

    (a)    any person, body corporate, undertaking, public authority or body of persons who or which employs an employee and includes heirs, successors and assignees of the employer; or

    (b)    where appropriate, a former employer;

    “forced labour” means any work or service that is exacted from any person under the threat of any penalty and is not offered voluntarily, but does not include—

    (a)    any compulsory military service or work of a purely military character;

    (b)    any work or service that forms part of the normal communal or civil obligations of citizens of Malawi;

    (c)    any work or service exacted from a person as a consequence of a…