MHPU expresses concern over health sector overtime pay issue

The Maldives Health Professionals Union (MHPU) has expressed concern over the insufficient overtime pay for health care workers.

In a statement, MPHU said the changes brought on March 20 to the pay framework adopted by the Health Ministry and Malé City Group of Hospitals' employees have not resolved the issue of overtime pay for health care workers.

The Union said that the interpretation of the amendment by relevant institutions does not provide a complete solution to ensure that health workers receive adequate pay for their work during public holidays and on regular days after the official working hours.

The union said the Employment Act stipulates that if an employee reports to work on a public holiday as a regular work day, they must add at least half of the daily wage to the overtime pay for their work in addition to their regular salary.

Friday is a designated public holiday in the Maldives. Since health care workers would be required to work on Fridays, as well as calendared public holidays and any other days declared as public holidays by the President's Office, MPHU called on employers to adhere to the Employment Act in overtime pay calculation.

The union also reminded that the Civil Service Commission has also informed the agencies that the employers should be held responsible for any adverse consequences of making employees work against the prescribed standards.

However, the employers are making health care workers to work against these standards, the association said.