MHPU Flags Ongoing Shortfalls in Overtime Pay for Health Workers
Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital | Photo: MV+
The Maldives Health Professionals Union (MHPU) has raised concerns over the ongoing issue of insufficient overtime pay for healthcare workers, stating that recent changes to the pay framework have failed to address the problem.
The exploitation of healthcare workers must come to an end, which has persisted since May 1, 2023. While the Public Sector Pay Standards impose an overtime cap of 10% of a worker's salary, several key concerns remain:
1. The Pay Standards explicitly prohibit organizations from… https://t.co/G1IjCuHXDP— Fathimath zimna (@Fathimathzimna) April 19, 2025advertisement
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In a statement, the union highlighted that amendments introduced on 20 March by the Health Ministry and Malé City Group of Hospitals do not adequately resolve the matter. According to MHPU, the current interpretation and application of the changes by relevant institutions fall short of guaranteeing appropriate overtime pay for healthcare workers, particularly during public holidays and outside of standard working hours.
The Employment Act mandates that employees who work on public holidays must receive at least an additional half-day’s wage on top of their regular salary and overtime pay. Despite this, MHPU noted that many healthcare workers are still required to work on Fridays—recognised as a public holiday in the Maldives—as well as on other calendared or specially declared public holidays, without adequate compensation.
The union urged employers to comply with the Employment Act when calculating overtime pay and warned that non-compliance not only breaches legal obligations but also places the burden of responsibility on employers, as per guidance previously issued by the Civil Service Commission. The union added that health institutions continue to operate in a manner that contravenes these prescribed standards.
Concerns were further echoed by Fathimath Zimna, who, in a public statement, emphasised that exploitation of healthcare workers has continued since 1 May 2023. She drew attention to the Public Sector Pay Standards, which impose an overtime cap of 10% of a worker’s salary. Despite this cap, the nature of healthcare work, combined with chronic staff shortages, has led to many professionals working well beyond their contracted hours without appropriate compensation.
Zimna also referenced Civil Service Circular ODS/CIR/2023/81, issued on 30 November 2023, which prohibits assigning duties that exceed the 10% overtime limit. The circular also holds managers and supervisors accountable for violations. However, healthcare workers who raise these concerns often face pressure or threats from within their organisations—practices which the union said may constitute forced labour.
The MHPU reiterated that the Employment Act guarantees full compensation for all overtime worked and called for urgent action to ensure that healthcare professionals are paid fairly for the essential services they continue to provide, including on public holidays and during extended shifts.
