A few businesses are reported to have already reduced the working hours of its employees due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the city and in response to new restrictions from the government, according to sources.
A restaurant was said to have reduced operation hours, which cut the number of working hours of its employees by half.
Instead of working six days per week, the staff are now told to work three days – which has led to a significant salary cut.
Employees in the catering and aviation sectors also saw similar changes.
According to a source, his working schedule for this month has already included 10 no-pay leave days, cutting his salary down to a third.
Another part-time employee said that hers and some other colleagues’ schedules were also cut in half. This is due to the number of canceled flights.
Last year, amid the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, the city saw a significant number of workers experience unpaid leave – some lasting to several months.
Early this year, the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) refuted speculation that the implementation of forced unpaid leave by local firms is a violation of employment law.
The DSAL remarked this in reply to an interpellation made by lawmaker Sulu Sou, who questioned whether no-pay leave might have breached Article 10 (5) of the Macau Labour Relations Law. This law prohibits an employer from lowering an employee’s base wages unless both reach a mutual agreement, confirmed in writing and notified to the DSAL within 10 days.
Last year, the government registered 214 cases related to salary reductions, involving 156 local enterprises and 2,450 workers.
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