JEWELLERY AND WATCHES 
WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ġ S.L.452.56 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 452.56
JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL 
WAGE REGULATION ORDER
25th August, 1977
LEGAL NOTICE 118 of 1977, as amended by Legal Notice 122 of 1978.
Title.
Council Wage 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 Jewellery and Watches Wages
Council operates.
Amended by:
L.N. 122 of 1978.
SCHEDULE
Interpretation.
Cap. 252.
1. In this Schedule, unless the context otherwise requires -
"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 of twenty-four consecutive hours
commencing from midnight of one day to midnight of the next
following day;
"hours of work" means the time on any day during which the
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
the employees are at the disposal of the employer, inclusive of the
intervals allowed for meals and rest;
"time-and-a-half" and "double-time" mean respectively one and a
half times and double the actual 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 employee would
normally commence his turn of duty;
"whole-time employee" means an employee who works for more
than eighteen hours spread over a period of not less than four days
in any one week.
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JEWELLERY AND WATCHES 
WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION
Hours of work. 2. (1) ( a ) The normal hours of work of the establishment shall be
spaced between the times of 7.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on
any day of the week from Monday to Friday (both days
inclusive). Any attendance on Saturday shall be
compensated by the same number of hours of time off
in lieu. Except in the case of whole-time employees
employed as watchmen, Sunday shall be allowed as a
weekly day of rest.
( b ) Watchmen shall be allowed one weekly day of rest.
(2) The minimum weekly wage of whole-time employees,
other than watchmen, shall be related to a week of forty hours of
work, while that of watchmen shall be related to a week of sixty
hours of work.
Minimum weekly 
wages of whole-
time employees.
3. (1) The minimum weekly wages of whole-time employees,
other than watchmen, aged eighteen years or over shall be as
follows -
During the first two years of employment in the trade
.................................................................. Lm17.38,0
During the third year of employment in the trade
.................................................................. Lm19.13,0
During the fourth year of employment in the trade
...................................................................Lm20.13,0
During the fifth year of employment in the trade
................................................................. Lm21.13,0.
(2)  The minimum weekly wages of whole-time employees,
other than watchmen, under eighteen years of age shall be as
follows -
aged 16 years ................................................... Lm13.24,0
aged 17 years .................................................. Lm14.47,0.
(3) The minimum weekly wages of whole-time watchmen,
independently of their age, shall be as follows:
( a ) those whose duties are mainly performed indoors
.................................................................. Lm17.38,0
( b ) those whose duties are mainly performed out of doors
..................................................................Lm18.38,0.
Minimum rates of 
part-time 
employees.
4. The minimum hourly rates payable to part-time employees
shall be double the minimum time rates applicable to whole-time
employees.
Minimum daily 
rest.
5. Whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be
allowed intervals for meals and rest of not less in the aggregate
than one and a half hours on any day of the week from Monday to
Friday and of not less than a quarter of an hour on any Saturday.
Minimum overtime 
rates.
6.  Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 hereof - 
( a ) whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be
paid overtime as follows -
(i) for all time worked in excess of the normal hours
of work of the establishment .... time-and-a-half;
JEWELLERY AND WATCHES 
WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ġ S.L.452.56 3
(ii) for all time worked during Sundays and
customary holidays ....................... double-time;
(iii) for all time worked in excess of forty hours,
except work performed on Saturdays which may
be compensated by the same number of hours of
time off in lieu, in any one week, exclusive of
any overtime payable in terms of the foregoing
provisions ........ time-and-a-half;
( b ) watchmen shall be paid overtime, for all time worked
in excess of sixty hours in any one week
....................................................... time-and-a-half.
Customary 
holidays and 
vacation leave.
7. Whole-time employees shall be entitled, in every calendar
year, to - 
( a ) all customary holidays with full pay, and
( b ) after three months in employment, vacation leave of
such number of working days with full pay as is
equivalent to the number of working days as that
particular employee should normally attend to work
during a period of four weeks: 
Provided that such leave shall be availed of in
agreement with the employer:
Provided further that whole-time employees who
have been in employment for less than one year shall
be entitled to such part of the said vacation leave as is
in proportion to the number of months in employment.
Sick leave.
Cap. 318.
8. (1) After the first six months of service, a whole-time
employee shall be allowed in every calendar year twelve days sick
leave on full pay less the full amount of any sickness benefit to
which such employee may be entitled under the Social Security
Act, and to twenty-four days sick leave on half pay less half the
amount of any sickness benefit:
Provided that a medical certificate certifying incapacity for
work during the period of absence shall be produced to the
employer, who shall have the right, if he deems fit, to send his own
medical officer to examine the employee.
(2) For the purpose of this paragraph, an interruption of
employment of not more than two months shall not be deemed to
break the continuity of service.
Bereavement 
leave.
9. A whole-time employee shall be entitled to two days leave
on full pay on the occasion of the death of the following relatives:
the wife or husband, the mother or father (or the person who at that
time is acting as the father or mother of the employee), the son or
daughter, and the brother or sister.
Special leave.
days leave on full pay on the occasion of his marriage and one
working day leave on full pay on the occasion of the birth of a child
to his wife.
Jury leave.
juror, be allowed time off as necessary, without any deduction from
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JEWELLERY AND WATCHES 
WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION
pay so as to enable him to attend to his duties at the Courts.
Injury leave.
Cap. 318.
12. 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 in terms of the Social
Security Act, if he is injured during the actual discharge of his duty
and such injury is not due to any contributory negligence on his
part or to any contravention by him of safety rules laid down by the
management.
Waiting time. 13. An employee is entitled to the payment of the minimum
wages applicable to him for all time during which he is present on
the premises of his employer or elsewhere 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.
Retiring age.  14. In cases where retirement of a male employee is expected
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 Schedule but it is intended to indicate
its applicability).
The provisions of the above Schedule apply to employees
employed in any undertaking or part of an undertaking, the
activities of which consist wholly or mainly in gilding, engraving
in gold or silver or in the manufacture of jewellery, clocks and
watches.
In these proposals:
"manufacture" includes repair; and
"jewellery" means articles made wholly or mainly of or covered
with gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals and includes
diamonds or precious stones, articles of rolled gold.
