WOODWORKS WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ġ S.L.452.44 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 452.44
WOODWORKS WAGES COUNCIL
WAGE REGULATION ORDER
2nd May, 1977
LEGAL NOTICE 50 of 1977, as amended by Legal Notices 91 of 1977, 1
of 1979 and 91 of 1990.
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 Woodworks Wages Council
operates.
Amended by:
L.N. 91 of 1977;
L.N. 1 of 1979;
L.N. 91 of 1990.
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;
"experience in the trade" means one or more periods certified by
the Director of Labour during which a person to whom this
Schedule applies is employed as a learner with one employer or
with different employers whether continuously or otherwise;
"half day" means a period of twelve consecutive hours running
from midnight to noon, or from noon to midnight;
"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;
Cap. 343.
"learner" has the same meaning as is assigned to it by the
Employment and Training Services Act;
"part-time employee" means an employee who is not a whole-
time employee so however that no part-time employee may be
employed for more than half a day in any one day;
"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;
"recognised breaks" means breaks which are customary among
particular sections of the employees to which this Schedule applies;
"time-and-a-half" and "double-time" mean respectively one and a
2 ġ S.L.452.44 WOODWORKS WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION
half times and twice the minimum time rate applicable to the
employee;
"wages" means remuneration or earnings, payable in money by
an employer to an 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 works for more
than thirty hours in any one week.
Hours of work.  2. (1) The minimum weekly remuneration for whole-time
employees, other than watchmen, shall be related to a week of not
more than forty hours of work, exclusive of overtime and of
recognised breaks for meal time and rest:
Provided that for day workers, such hours of work shall be
spread over a five day week (Monday to Friday or Tuesday to
Saturday).
(2) The minimum weekly remuneration for watchmen shall be
related to a week of not more than fifty-two hours of work,
exclusive of overtime, spread over six days.
Minimum 
remuneration.
3. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 6 of this Schedule,
the minimum wage rates payable to whole-time employees, shall be
the following -
( a ) (i) Watchmen whose duties are mainly performed
indoors ............................................. Lm32.88c
(ii) Watchmen whose duties are mainly performed
out of doors ...................................... Lm32.88c
( b ) Other whole-time employees -
At age 18 years or over ............................. Lm32.88c
At age 17 years ......................................... Lm29.97c
At age 16 years ......................................... Lm28.74c
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 in every day on which the hours of work exceed five
and a half hours.
Minimum weekly 
rest.
5. All whole-time employees shall be allowed a weekly day
of rest in every week.
Minimum overtime 
rates.
6. (1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph and of
paragraph 2 of this Schedule, minimum overtime rates are payable
to all whole-time employees, other than watchmen, to whom this
Schedule applies, as follows : -
( a ) on any day, being a working day in resgect of the
particular employee, for all time worked in excess of
eight hours ........................................ time-and-a-half;
( b ) for all time worked on any day, other than a Sunday or
a customary holiday, not being a working day in
WOODWORKS WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ġ S.L.452.44 3
respect of the particular employee ..... time-and-a-half;
( c ) for all time worked in excess of forty hours in any
week exclusive of any time paid for at overtime
rates .................................................. time-and-a-half;
( d ) for all hours work on a Sunday ............... double-time;
( e ) for all time worked on a customary holiday
............................................................... double-time:
Provided that in any week which includes a customary
holiday on a working day overtime at time-and-a-half shall be
payable for work in excess of thirty-two hours, exclusive at time
paid for at overtime rates, to all employees other than watchmen.
(2) Overtime at the rate of time-and-a-half shall be payable to
watchmen for all time worked in excess of fifty-two hours in a
period of six consecutive days, and for all time worked on the
seventh day.
Vacation leave.
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 ands 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 year 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 emloyment.
(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 the 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.
(3) For the purpose of this paragraph a break in employment of
not more than thirty days shall not be deemed to interrupt the
continuity of service.
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Sick leave. 
Cap. 318.
8. (1) After the completion of six months’ continuous service
whole-time employees shall be entitled to twelve working days sick
leave on full pay in every calendar year less any sickness benefit to
which they may be entitled under the Social Security Act, even in
respect of a non-working day during the period of sickness, and to a
further twelve days on half pay in every calendar year less half the
sickness benefit to which they may be entitled under the said Act:
Provided that a medical certificate certifying incapacity for
work shall be produced to the employer, who shall be entitled, if he
so wishes, to send his own medical officer to examine the
employee.
(2) For the purposes of this paragraph a break in employment
of not more than thirty days shall not be deemed to interrupt the
continuity of service.
Bereavement 
leave.
9. Whole-time employees shall be allowed three consecutive
days leave without loss of pay on the occasion of the death of any
of the following relations: the wife, husband, mother, father, (or the
person who at the time was in fact acting as the mother or father of
the employee), son, daughter, brother or sister:
Provided that if the brother or sister had not been living in
the same household as the employee the bereavement leave shall be
limited to only one day.
Special leave. 10. 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.
Injury leave.
Cap .318.
11. A whole-time employee shall be entitled to one year injury
leave on full pay, less the full amount of any injury benefit to
which such employee may be entitled under 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.
Jury service. 12. A whole-time employee called for jury service shall be
allowed all the necessary time off without loss of pay to attend the
Courts.
Minimum 
remuneration of 
part-time 
employees.
13. Part-time employees shall be entitled to a minimum hourly
rate calculated  pro rata  in accordance with the provisions of
paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Schedule.
Waiting time. 14. An employee is 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 or in any other place in
connection with his employment 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;
WOODWORKS WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ġ S.L.452.44 5
( d ) during recognised breaks for meals and rest, and he is
not waiting for work to be given to him to perform.
Retiring age.
expected at the age of sixty years, such employee shall be given the
opportunity by his 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 the age of sixty years.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order but is intended to indicate its
applicability).
The provisions of the above Schedule shall apply to all
employees engaged in establishments manufacturing furniture,
fixtures and other articles wholly or mainly in wood (excluding
smokers’ pipes but including boats and motor vehicles bodies)
upholstery and wicker or cane work, whether natural or artificial
and for employees employed by woodwork contractors in building
and civil engineering.
