PETALING JAYA: Employers should bring staff in and ask who can step up for shifts during festive periods instead of relying solely on workers who are single, says a senior industrial relations expert.
Employers and married colleagues tend to think singles should have no problems doing overtime work and stepping up while others go on festive holidays.
This kind of practice is actually discrimination, said Dharmen Sivalingam.
“Discrimination is where one person is treated differently because of their personal circumstances.
“Asking everyone who can support (during a festive period) creates a fair and open process,” he said, adding that fairness should guide workplace decisions.
“If an employer assumes a single employee has more control over their time and can therefore be asked to do more, that is discrimination.”
He stressed that work beyond contractual hours should not be taken for granted.
“It becomes a ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ situation. The employee has the right to say no,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that workers may feel pressured due to concerns over performance or career progression.
“If an employee is being asked more often than others in similar roles, particularly because they are single, there is basis to raise it with HR,” said Dharmen.
Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani, president of the National Union of Clerical Workers at Pos Malaysia, said the issue often begins subtly.
“It comes in informal ways, phrases like ‘you can help lah’ or assumptions that someone is more available.
“But when it repeatedly falls on the same group, especially single employees, it becomes a pattern,” he said.
“At that point, it is no longer voluntary support but an informal workload burden.”
The issue has become a prickly one as more and more people remain single while staying in the workforce.
The number of males and females aged 15 and above listed as “never married” has gone up from 3.08 million in 1970 to 8.39 million in 2020, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Young Malaysians are also marrying later, with the median age at first marriage now stands at 29 years for grooms and 27 years for brides.
“Many workers are not fully aware of their rights on working hours, leave and overtime, and end up accepting this as normal,” said Mohd Effendy.
He urged employees to speak up constructively.
“It’s not about refusing outright but setting reasonable boundaries and suggesting fairer arrangements, such as a rotation system.”
Malaysian Employers Federation president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the issue highlights the need for more structured workforce planning.
He noted that while flexibility is important, relying on informal arrangements can create unintended imbalances over time.
“Employers should move towards clearer systems such as rotation, early leave planning and objective criteria to manage availability,” he said.
