A motion has been submitted to parliament today to discuss the issue of health and education sector workers having to work extra hours without overtime pay.

The motion was submitted by Kanditheemu MP Ameen Faisal.

The motion brings into focus the fact that many workers in these two fields are currently working additional hours without compensation. The motion aims to seek members' view on existing policies around overtime pay and on establishing an equitable system for the issue.

The motion states that there is a ceiling set on the highest amount of overtime pay that can be provided to workers in the health and education sectors, both employing a high number of staff working extensive hours.

As per the overtime pay guidelines in the Pay Framework, the highest amount of overtime pay that can be granted in a month is 10 percent of basic salary. Requiring workers to work beyond this is not allowed.

However, the motion points out that workers in the health and education sectors are often required to work more hours than determined in the guideline. Health sector workers are required to work longer hours due to understaffing, while teachers and other education sector staff are required to work extensive hours as well, the motion states.

The motion states that if workers are required to work beyond the overtime ceiling, then it is imperative to have a exclusion to the ceiling, and overtime pay guidelines must be revised.