Sarawak’s 2025 Labour Changes: Workload, Flexible Work and Employee Support

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In this article 5 sections

A revised employment policy can change what appears in a handbook without changing what employees experience. A shorter scheduled week may still feel unmanageable if the same urgent tasks are simply compressed into less time. A flexible-work application route may exist, while nobody knows who should respond.

For employers operating in Sarawak, the labour amendments effective from 1 May 2025 provide a reason to review both formal employment processes and everyday working conditions. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) support can sit alongside this work, but it cannot replace the employer’s legal responsibilities.

Start with the correct law and location

This article concerns the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Chapter 76). It should not be treated as a complete guide to employment law across Malaysia. Employers with staff in different territories need to check the applicable framework and conditions for each group.

The Labour Department’s amendment summary identifies changes including a reduction of normal weekly working hours from 48 to 45, flexible-work arrangements and expanded protections. Coverage has broadened, but entitlement to particular payments still depends on the relevant provisions. Do not assume every employee has identical overtime entitlements.

Review workload when revising working hours

Compare scheduled hours with the work required to deliver them. An illustrative customer-service team may have a compliant-looking roster but insufficient cover during peak demand. Staff then skip breaks, delay administrative work or continue dealing with routine messages after their shift.

A practical review would examine staffing, handovers, predictable demand and which tasks can be simplified. Ask supervisors how they respond when capacity is exceeded. Avoid describing the difficulty as an individual resilience problem before considering the design of the work.

HR should obtain appropriate advice on contractual and payroll implications. Our workplace recommendation is to check whether the new arrangements are usable, rather than treating a changed number in the handbook as the whole implementation.

Make flexible-work requests easy to track

The official FAQ explains that employees may request changes to working hours, days or location under sections 121A and 121B. Employers must provide a written decision within 60 days of receiving the application and give reasons for rejection. A right to apply does not guarantee approval.

Establish a clear receiving point, record the receipt date and identify the decision-maker. If a request needs more discussion, keep communication clear and track the applicable response period. Managers should not leave an application sitting in a personal inbox because they are unsure who owns it.

When discussing feasibility, consider operational requirements and the employee’s proposed arrangement. Ask only for information relevant to the decision. An employee should not have to share the contents of an EAP session merely to start a conversation about work arrangements.

Keep complaints and psychological support connected but distinct

The amendments also address discrimination and sexual-harassment procedures. The official FAQ covers employer responsibilities for sexual-harassment complaints and preventive notices. Organisations should review their formal processes against the actual provisions, rather than relying on a wellbeing policy alone.

Someone reporting harmful treatment may need both a fair complaint process and emotional support. EAP can offer support within its agreed scope. It should not become a condition that an employee must complete counselling before a complaint is considered, or a substitute for an appropriate investigation.

Explain the separate routes, who can access information in each, and how concerns about retaliation can be raised. Do not promise an investigation outcome or absolute secrecy that the process cannot deliver.

Turn the review into a practical HR checklist

Policies and contracts: Check which documents and employment arrangements need updating.
Rosters and workload: Compare agreed hours with staffing, handovers and actual demands.
Requests: Assign ownership for receiving and responding to flexible-work applications.
Complaints: Make reporting routes, responsibilities and required notices clear.
Support: Explain how employees can use EAP, including its confidentiality boundaries.
Follow-up: Set a review point and ask whether the processes work in practice.

This is an original implementation checklist, not an official compliance audit. Legal compliance requires checking the applicable law, conditions and individual circumstances.

For support alongside those processes, explore MY Psychology’s EAP services. Where work-design concerns emerge, the PRisMA and EAP guide provides related reading on psychosocial risk management.

References and further reading

Sources checked on 25 October 2026. This article provides general workplace education, not organisation-specific legal advice, clinical assessment or certification of compliance. Scenarios are illustrative; adapt the recommendations to actual arrangements and applicable law.