Malaysian employment questions: contract clauses, notice periods and buyouts, unpaid overtime, termination and constructive dismissal, and where to get real help.
Short answer: only in very specific circumstances, and even then, think carefully. When it might be acceptable: - The company is significant enough that the CV value is demonstrably high - You need the specific portfoli…
Learned this the hard way after banking on a bonus that never came. Contractual bonus: Written into your contract as a guaranteed amount or formula (e.g., "2 months salary paid in March annually"). Company must pay this…
I asked a lawyer friend and did my own research. Here's the practical answer. The general rule: There is no Malaysian law that prohibits employees from freelancing outside of work hours. Freelancing while employed is ge…
Legally you should register as a sole proprietor with SSM (RM60 for 5 years). Issue e-invoices or receipts. Declare income in your LHDN return under Section 4(a) business income.
Employment passes restrict you to work for the sponsoring employer only. Freelancing or consulting income technically violates this. Some people do it quietly, but the risk if found out is pass cancellation.
Get a signed brief before starting. Milestones with part-payment protect you. Never start before receiving a deposit (30-50%). If client becomes unresponsive mid-project, stop work and send a formal notice.
Files, research memos, and attending court hearings. Stipend RM600-1,000. Useful if you want to practise law.
In-house: 9-6 mostly, better balance, focus on one business. Law firm: high billable targets, many clients, faster learning. Pay at the top end is higher in firms, but mid-level in-house is often better.
High intensity. expect 12-14 hour days during peak deal season. Learning curve is vertical. Brand is very well respected. Stipend RM1,500-2,000 for pupils. Good for ambitious legal grads.
Typically 3–6 months. During probation, either party can terminate with shorter notice (sometimes 1-7 days). Employer doesn't need to give reason. Know your rights before signing anything.
Yes, as long as your contract doesn't have an exclusivity clause. Many do. If freelancing outside hours, it's usually fine, your employer can't legally stop you from earning in off-hours.
Threads where someone has read their employment contract properly, usually because something has already gone wrong. Recurring subjects: notice periods and what a buyout clause can and cannot require, non-compete wording and how enforceable it really is here, unpaid overtime and what the Employment Act says about it, and the difference between resigning, being terminated and constructive dismissal. Freelancers add a second layer about client contracts, scope and getting paid. The consistent and correct advice running through these threads is that a forum is the place to work out what question to ask, and the Labour Department or a lawyer is the place to get it answered — several posts are people reporting back after doing exactly that.
Related topics: Kuala Lumpur, Salary Negotiation, Productivity.