Health workers union urges government not to eliminate overtime pay

The Maldives Health Professionals Union (MHPU) has called on the government not to eliminate overtime (OT) pay for health sector employees, following limitations introduced in the revised salary structure implemented in May 2023.

Under the current framework, overtime pay is capped at 10 percent of an employee’s basic salary, a shift from the previous system in which health workers were compensated for all hours worked beyond official shifts. The union argues this change fails to reflect the long hours and increasing demands placed on frontline workers.

In a statement released today, MHPU emphasized that healthcare staff are regularly required to work extended hours and should be fairly compensated for their time. The union also urged the government to ensure adequate staffing across all health facilities, and to implement new job structures for administrative and support staff without further delay.

Additionally, MHPU called for foreign staff in health sector to be transitioned into the new pay framework to ensure fair and equal compensation across the board.

The union’s concerns have reached Parliament, where a resolution has been submitted calling for a review of overtime pay policies for both health and education sector employees. The matter has been debated by lawmakers, with several government-aligned members assuring that the issue will be addressed.