Does my maid’s rest day have to be on Sunday?

Technically, no. To meet up with pals who also have Sunday off, most maids in Malaysia, however, opt to take this day off. Thus, it is possible that more seasoned or experienced maids will have Sundays off per their employment contract with their employers.

Can I change a rest day? Does it have to be the same day each week?

It is legal to issue rest days sporadically, but it is best that you notify your maid of any changes to rest days at least few weeks in advance. An extra rest day must be offered within the following 30 days if you both decide to move the rest day. For instance, the new rest day needs to be taken before July 1st if the previous one was scheduled for June 2nd.

It might be challenging for maids to organise activities or their daily rest day routine for their day off, so they may become irritated if their rest day is frequently altered. More experienced and long-term maid will probably favour a designated day off every month.

Can I ask my maid to work on rest days?

Generally, maids in Malaysia are entitled to a full 24-hour rest period and you should not ask them to work at all during this period. However, in Malaysia, it is permitted to ask your maid to work on rest days as long as it is compensated according to the terms as stated in the employment contract and it must be mutually agreed to.

It is the law to pay your maid the rest-day rate if you require her to work on rest days.