LAUNDRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION g S.L.452.53 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 452.53
LAUNDRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE 
REGULATION ORDER
15th August, 1977
LEGAL NOTICE 111 of 1977, as amended by Legal Notices 48 of 1978,
3 of 1979 and 114 of 1991.
Title.
Regulation Order.
Field of operation 
of Wages Council.
2. The provisions set out in the Schedule hereto shall apply to
all employees in respect of whom the Laundries Wages Council
operates.
Amended by:
L.N. 48 of 1978;
L.N. 3 of 1979;
L.N. 114 of 1991.
SCHEDULE
Interpretation.
Cap. 252.
"customary holidays" means the days (other than Sundays)
declared for the time being to be public holidays by or under the
National Holidays and other Public Holidays Act;
"day" means a period running from midnight of one day to
midnight of the next following day;
"half-day" means a period of twelve consecutive hours ending at
1.00 p.m. or 1.00 a.m.;
"hours of work" means the time on any day during which
employees are at the disposal of the employer, exclusive of the
intervals allowed for meals and rest;
"part-time employee" means an employee who is not a whole-
time employee;
"period of employment" means the time in any day during which
employees are at the disposal of the employer, but inclusive of the
intervals allowed for meals and rest;
"remuneration" means wages or earnings payable in money by an
employer to an employee;
"time-and-a-half" and "double-time" mean respectively one and a
half times and twice the minimum time rate applicable to the
employee;
"week" means a calendar week;
"weekly day of rest" means a period of twenty-four consecutive
hours commencing at the time at which the worker would normally
commence his turn of duty;
"whole-time employee" means an employee who is employed for
2 g S.L.452.53 LAUNDRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION
more than 30 hours in any one week, spread over not less than four
days.
Hours of work. 2. The minimum weekly remuneration shall be related to a
week of not more than -
( a ) forty-two hours of work between April and September
and thirty-eight hours of work between October and
March in the case of whole-time employees other than
watchmen; and
( b ) fifty-four hours of work in the case of watchmen.
Minimum 
remuneration of 
whole-time 
employees.
3. The minimum weekly remuneration payable to whole-time
employees shall be the following - 
( a ) watchmen whose duties are mainly performed indoors
.................................................................. Lm34.13,0
( b ) watchmen whose duties are mainly performed out of
doors ......................................................... Lm35.88,0
( c ) other whole-time employees, both males and females - 
(i) aged 18 years or over ....................... Lm34.13,0
(ii) under 18 years of age learners - 
17 years ........................................... Lm31.49,0
16 years ....................................... Lm30.38,0.
Minimum daily 
rest.
4. Whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be
allowed intervals for meals and rest of not less, in the aggregate,
than one hour every day. 
Minimum weekly 
rest.
5. Whole-time employees shall be allowed a weekly day of
rest in every period of seven consecutive days.
Minimum overtime 
rates.
6. (1) Whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be
paid overtime as follows -
( a ) for all time worked in excess of forty-two hours per
week between April and September and for all time
worked in excess of thirty-eight hours per week
between October and March .............. time-and-a-half;
( b ) in the case of employees employed on a 5½ day week
(Saturday included), for all time worked over 7.40
hours in any day from Monday to Friday or over 4
hours on a Saturday between April and September, and
for all time worked over 6.45 hours in any day from
Monday to Friday or over 4 hours on a Saturday
between October and March .............. time-and-a-half;
( c ) in the case of employees employed on a 5 day week
(Monday to Friday), for all time worked over 8½
hours, between April and September, and for all time
worked over 7½ hours between October and March
.......................................................... time-and-a-half;
( d ) for all time worked on Sundays ............double-time;
( e ) for all time worked on a customary holiday in addition
to holiday pay ........................ double-time:
LAUNDRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION g S.L.452.53 3
Provided that there shall be paid to all whole-time
employees, other than watchmen, overtime at time-and-a-half -
( a ) for all work in excess of thirty-four hours in any week
during which a customary holiday falls on any day
between Monday and Friday, or in excess of thirty-
eight hours where such a holiday falls on a Saturday
between April and September; and
( b ) for all work in excess of thirty-one hours in any week
during which a customary holiday falls on any day
between Monday and Friday, or in excess of thirty-
four hours where such holiday falls on a Saturday
between October and March, in either case exclusive
of time paid for at overtime rates.
(2) Overtime at the rate of time-and-a-half shall be payable to
watchmen for all time worked in excess of fifty-four hours in a
period of six consecutive days, and at the rate of double time for all
time worked on the seventh day and/or on a customary holiday so
however that, if a customary holiday falls on the seventh day,
overtime shall be payable only at the rate of double time.
Holidays.
whole-time employees may be entitled under paragraph 5, whole-
time employees shall be entitled to the National Holidays and to all
public holidays with full pay, and to the following vacation leave
not being less than -
( a ) four working weeks and one working day during the
calendar years 1988 and 1989;
( b ) four working weeks and two working days during the
calendar year 1990;
( c ) four working weeks and three working days during the
calendar year 1991;
( d ) four working weeks and four working days during the
calendar years 1992 and during any calendar year
thereafter:
Provided that when a whole-time employee is in
employment for less than twelve months during any calendar year,
he shall be entitled to such part of the said vacation leave as is in
proportion to the number of months in employment.
(2) For the purpose of this paragraph "vacation leave" means
leave with pay which may be availed of on days agreed upon
between the employer and employee, provided that one day
vacation leave during 1988 and 1989, two days vacation leave
during 1990, three days vacation leave during 1991 and four days
vacation leave during 1992 and during any calendar year thereafter
shall not form part of any shutdown and shall be granted by the
employer as optional leave in addition to any optional leave the
employee may have been entitled to on the 9th November, 1988.
4 g S.L.452.53 LAUNDRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION
Sick leave.
Cap. 318.
8. (1) After completing the first twelve months of
employment, whole-time employees shall be entitled to twelve days
sick leave in every calendar year on full pay less any sickness
benefit to which they may be entitled under the Social Security Act,
and to a further thirty-six days on half pay in every calendar year,
less half the sickness benefit to which they may be entitled under
the said Act, provided in either case a medical certificate certifying
incapacity for work covering the period of absence is produced to
the employer.
(2) For the purpose of sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph a
break in employment of not more than forty-eight days shall not
interrupt the continuity of service.
Special leave.
Cap. 318.
9. A whole-time employee shall be entitled to a maximum of
one year injury leave on full pay, less the full amount of any injury
benefit to which such employee may be entitled in terms of the
Social Security Act, if such employee is injured during the actual
discharge of his duty, and such injury is not due to any contributory
negligence on his part or to the contravention by him of any safety
rules laid down by the management.
Bereavement 
leave.
10. Whole-time employees shall be allowed two days paid
leave on the occasion of the death of any of the following relations:
the wife or husband, the mother or father, (or the person who at the
time was in fact acting as the mother or father of the employee), the
son or daughter and the brother or sister.
Special leave. 11. A whole-time employee shall be entitled to three days
leave on full pay on the occasion of his marriage and to two days
leave on full pay on the occasion of the birth of a child to his wife.
Jury service. 12. Whole-time employees called for jury service shall be
allowed all the necessary time off to attend the Courts without loss
of pay.
Minimum 
remuneration of 
part-time 
employees.
13. The minimum remuneration payable to part-time
employees of the categories specified in paragraph 3 hereof shall
not be less than the proportionate rate of the minimum
remuneration payable to a whole-time employee of the same
category, calculated on the basis of a fifty-four hour week in the
case of watchmen and of a forty hour week in the case of other
employees.
Waiting time. 14. An employee shall be entitled to the payment of the
minimum remuneration applicable to him for all time during which
he is present on the premises of his employer unless he is present
thereon in any of the following circumstances:
( a ) without the employer’s consent, expressed or implied;
( b ) for some purpose unconnected with his work and other
than that of waiting for work to be given to him to
perform;
( c ) by reason only of the fact that he is resident thereon;
( d ) during normal meal times in a room or place in which
no work is being done, and he is not waiting for work
to be given to him to perform.
LAUNDRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION g S.L.452.53 5
Retiring age.
to take place at the age of sixty years, such employee shall be given
the opportunity by the employer to retain his employment beyond
this age at least until the age of sixty-one years, provided that the
employee in question shall still be allowed, if he so wishes, to retire
at sixty years.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order but it is intended to indicate its
applicability).
The provisions in the above Schedule will apply to all employees
in any undertaking or in any part of an undertaking, the activities of
which consist wholly or mainly in any of the following:
The cleaning by wet or dry processes, pressing, dyeing or
repairing by hand or machine apparel of any kind, linens and
household furnishings, and for all employees in any laundry in a
hotel where such laundry is not run exclusively for the use of the
hotel and its visitors.
