Where an employer terminates an employee because of improvement to the working unit, production, distribution or service processes, arising from the utilization of machinery or a change of machinery or technology, and which is cause of the reduction in number of employees. For example, this may be possible in the following scenarios: Records show that an employees work performance has fallen below the employers required standards, and the employee has not tried to improve his or her work performance for three consecutive years. Disability. certain perceptions about entitlements and This represents an increase from the pre-amendment rate of 7.5 percent. The employer, however, may appeal the reasons invoked by the employee before the Ministry of Labour. Annual leave is calculated based on the length of employment. Mandatory employee benefits in Thailand include the following: Life-death coverage. Do the main laws that regulate the employment relationship apply to: Foreign nationals working in your jurisdiction? The employment can also be terminated in cases where the employers business was transferred to a third person without the consent of the employees. DFDL Expertise In Thailand, the main statutes and regulations related to employment are the: Civil and Commercial Code; Labour Relations Act. As such, the new provision gives more certainty to employers wishing to terminate employees without notice where such notice is required. PDF Understanding Thailand's Labour Law & Employment Regulations - BIPO An employer is prohibited from causing a pregnant female employee to work between 22:00 and 06:00 hours, or to work overtime, work on holidays, or perform any of following: Work on plant or equipment that vibrates; Operate or go along with a mechanically propelled vehicle; Lift, carry or bear on her head or shoulders, or pull or push loads that weigh more than 15 kilograms; Where an employer employs a female employee to work between 24:00 hours and 06:00 hours, and a labor inspector considers that the employment may be harmful to the health and safety of the female employee, the labor inspector is entitled to change or reduce the working hours as deemed appropriate, and the employer shall be required to comply with this direction. If the employer does not fix annual leave for the employee, the employer is subject to a maximum criminal fine of THB 20,000 (LPA Section 146). An employee is entitled to take leave to attend to his personal business as necessary in accordance with work regulations. Integrated international law firm providing technical excellence across our core areas of expertise; This applies to daily workers, regular employees, and those who are still in their probationary period. $184,000 fine for employer who failed to pay entitlements on termination, HR Manager held liable and fined for breach of the Fair Work Act. Who receives his basic pay based upon his output, but the total severance pay shall not, in aggregate, exceed 360-day basic pay at the most recent rate or not exceed the basic pay paid for the last 360 days in the case of an employee who receives his basic pay based upon his output. Learn more: https://www.boi.go.th/index.php?page=setting_up_a_business https://www.dbd.go.th/dbdweb_en/more_news.php?cid=245 Tax Registration Bank Account Set-Up Benefits of Registering a Company in Thailand Strategic Location In some cases, however, an employees failure to act in accordance with lawful instructions or commands of the employer, resulting in poor work performance, could also be considered a violation of work rules or regulations. Per Section 193/34 (9) of the Civil and Commercial Code, the Working Hours. Where an employer fails to give advance notice to an employee of his termination, or give advance notice but shorter than 60 days, the employer shall instead of the advance notice, pay special severance pay, equal to 60 day pay at the most recent rate of basic pay that the employee has received, or equal to his basic pay received for the last 60 days in the case of an employee who receives his basic pay based upon his output. In making payment of basic pay, overtime pay, holiday pay and holiday overtime pay to an employee, the employer shall require the employee to sign those documents as evidence of payment. The amendment aims to enhance employee protections to accord with current global standards, provide alternative working arrangements for employers and employees, increase workforce efficiency, and strengthen employees job security and a better quality of life. These rules shall, as a minimum, contain particulars of the following: Working days, regular working hours and rest periods; Rules concerning overtime work and work on holidays; Date and place of payment of basic pay, overtime pay, holiday pay and holiday overtime pay; Termination of employment, severance pay and special severance pay. An employer who employs ten or more employees shall have work rules in Thai language. Labor Protection Law is the law that has criminal penalty. Our areas of expertise: Banking and Finance, Corporate and Commercial, Energy, Mining and Infrastructure, Mergers and Acquisitions, Real Estate and Construction, and Taxation. The law does not require the employee's consent subsequent years. This means that the employer can freely stipulate the requirements for personal business leave in its work rules. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies as set out in our Privacy Policy. Increased Penalties for Certain Violations of the LPA. Note: Personal business leave is not annual leave. leave. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and practice in this area. Basic Pay" means the money which the employer and the employee mutually agree is to be paid in return of work done in accordance with the employment contract during normal working hours on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or other periodic basis or to be paid upon the basis of output of the employee during normal working hours, and also includes money which the employer pays whilst the employee is on holiday or taking other leave pays whilst the employee did not work but nevertheless is such in respect of which he is entitled to receive payment under this Act. ("Minimum rate of basic pay" means the wage rate prescribed by the Remuneration Committee under this Act). The employer is required to pay the employees salary during such business leave. If both sides correctly understand their rights and Over the next five years, total compulsory pension contributions will amount to 4% of an employees wage, half of which is paid by the employer and half deducted from the employees salary. The Thailand business visa commonly refered to as a Non-Immigrant B Visa can be valid for either a single entry or for multiple entries. There is no statutory parental leave in Thailand. Transfer of Employment Requires Employee Consent. If the offender does not agree to the resolution of the case, or has agreed to the resolution but fails to pay the fine within the period, the prosecution shall continue to proceed. COVID-19 vaccination leave - Mazars - Thailand The Labour Protection Act clearly states that an employee who is entitled to receive the COVID-19 vaccination should take business leave or sick leave. Medical treatment (health insurance) Maternity benefits. An employer is not required to pay severance pay to an employee whose employment has been terminated for any of the following reasons: An employer having 10 or more employees shall prepare documents concerning the payment of basic pay, overtime pay, holiday pay and holiday overtime pay containing the following minimum particulars: The authority designated below is of the opinion that an offender should not be punished with a term of imprisonment or should not be prosecuted, that authority shall have the power to determine the matter as follows: Not exceed 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. 7, Section 57/1) - 3 working days per year (with pay) e. National Service Leave (under Section 35,58) - a paid leave that cannot exceed 60 days per year f. Training and Skills Development leave (under Section 36) - an employee must notify their employer and provide evidence of . through discussions between the parties, without having to go to In the event of a workplace relocation (whether to a new location or to another existing location), the employer is required to post a notice at the current workplace for a consecutive period of at least 30 days prior to the relocation. The Thai Labor Protection Act guarantees security of tenure, hence, the employment can only be terminated in cases such as, expiration of employment period, mutual termination of the employment, completion of the agreed work, and in cases where either party notifies the other of his desire to end the employment. This is certainly Conclusion. Thailand Overhauls Its Employment Law - SHRM An employee is entitled to get his basic pay on his annual vacation. No personal business leave has been explicitly mentioned under the current Labor Protection Act. Prior to this amendment, the length of personal business leave was determined by the terms of the employment agreement or work rules. However, the parties are allowed to form the employment contract either in writing or verbally. An employer shall announce the applicability of the work rules within 15 days from the date upon which the workforce of the employer reaches a total of 10 or more employees. The maximum number of hours that employees are required to work is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. An employee who has worked consecutively for three years but less than six years shall be paid basic pay for 180 days at the most recent rate of his basic pay. It should be noted, however, that the employer is only required to pay the salary for up to 45 days during such maternity leave. The LPA prescribes labor protection standards applicable to both employers and employees working in Thailand. Paid necessary business leave for granted for 3 days Workplace relocation notification Consent required for change of employer 75% wages payable during suspension of business 15% Interest on statutory payments Payment in lieu of notice required on date of termination Gender equality Sanctions About the author Previously, a pregnant employee is entitled to a maternity leave of up to ninety days for each pregnancy. If both sides correctly understand their rights and obligations, disputes on annual leave can be easily resolved through discussions between the parties, without having to go to court. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Find practical and legitimate guide about Thailand laws and legal acts on corporate matters, immigration, civil and criminal law, family law, and many others. This amendment to the LPA has been published in the Government Gazette on April 5, 2019, and will come into effect on May 6, 2019. Prior to this amendment, such timing requirements applied only to wages, overtime pay, holiday pay, and holiday overtime pay but not other types of remunerations or other payments required under the law. Although the amendment is silent on the form of the consent given by the employee, employers should seek to get a written consent for the sake of security. A pregnant female employee is entitled to maternity leave of not more than 90 days for each pregnancy, including holidays during the maternity leave and get her basic pay at a rate equal to normal working days during the leave but not exceed 45 days. PIT is a direct tax levied against an individual's income. Annual leave is a common area of disagreement between employers and employees. The decision of the Company in deciding what is permitted as Personal Business Leave will be final. The employees consent is required when a change of employer registration, or transfer or merger between the employer and another entity results in the transfer of employment to a new employer. Unchanged remain the regulations governing leave that the employee is entitled to on a weekly basis. Youll only need to do it once, and readership information is just for authors and is never sold to third parties. An employer is prohibited from terminating a female employee because of her pregnancy. Thus, despite any work rules to the contrary, the employee has the right to claim holiday wages for unused annual leave carried forward from previous years. The Labor Protection Act: leave - Thailand Business Law Blog From the above example, Somboon must file his claim for holiday wages with the court on or before January 1, 2013. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. A key challenge is keeping up to date with employment law trends in these jurisdictions to ensure compliance with local regulationsand avoid costly, time-consuming business interruption. 4 Personal business leave is different from annual leave and must be addressed separately in the work rules. contentious issue in employer-employee relations. For example, XYZ Corporation's work rules indicate that and cannot be classified as "annual leave." regulations. Thailand Visa Categories: Which One is Right for You? Again, this new provision gives more certainty to employers and HR departments in the event of breakdown of the employment relationship. The term employer in Thailand includes persons who agree to accept an employee for work by paying wages which includes any person authorized to act on behalf of the employer. This may sound far-fetched, but one resume-screening tool was found to be using an algorithm that concluded two factors were most determinative of job performance: the name Jared and a history of playing lacrosse in high school. Therefore, the employee was reassigned to a new job function, but the employee still did not improve. Employees are now statutorily entitled to personal business leave of three working days per year. It will come into effect on April 18, 2023. The key changes are as follows. An employee who has worked for more than 10 years consecutively shall be paid basic pay for not less than 300 days at the most recent rate of his basic pay. This article addresses common mistakes concerning obligations, disputes on annual leave can be easily resolved Under the Amendment the entitlement for maternity leave has been extended to 98 days. No employer shall employ a child under 15 years of age. Q&A: Labour & Employment Law in Thailand - Lexology right to claim holiday wages for unused annual leave carried Here we outline trends and recent regulatory developments in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and consider what they mean for employers. With Quick Consult, from a transparent, flat fee of $49, the lawyers will call you back on the phone within 1-2 days to answer your questions and give you legal advice. However, for the employees convenience, annual leave can be taken on certain dates, as agreed by both parties. The employer must fix the employees annual leave in advance. court. Ltd. accepts or assumes responsibility, or has any liability, to any person in respect of this article. Section 30 of the LPA provides that the employer and the employee may agree in advance that the annual leave will be postponed, accumulated, and taken together with leave accrued in subsequent years. For instance, Somboon was entitled to 20 days of annual leave in 2010, but he used only 5 days that year. Personal business leave An employee is entitled to take up to 3 days paid leave for personal reasons per year Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now . An employer shall announce the applicability of the work rules even the workforce of the employer decreases to be less than 10 employees. convenience, annual leave can be taken on certain dates, as agreed 8) B.E. such amounts. An employee shall not get his basic pay on his training leave. Extra Severance Pay and More Benefits for Employees in Thailand in General Information on the Key takeaways of this amendment, which is largely favorable to employees, are set out below: The employees consent is now required when a change of employer registration, or a merger between the employer and another company results in the transfer of employment to a new entity (for instance, when a new company is created following the merger between two companies). Therefore, even if the employee neglects to take personal vacation, the employer must still pay wages for any unused days of annual leave. Prior to the amendment, this timing requirement for payment applied to wages, holiday pay, overtime pay, and holiday overtime pay, but not to other types of remunerations or other statutory payments, such as severance. Where the nature or type of work necessitates continuous performance, stoppage may damage the work, or it is an urgent, the employer may require an employee not to have a rest period with consent of the employee. An employee and employer may agree in advance to fix which day shall be the weekly holiday. The Labor Laws and Regulations of Thailand - Global People Strategist The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Thailand oversees the implementation of said Act and secures that every right is protected under the laws of Thailand. Thailand's codified employment laws, administered by the Department of Labor, Protection and Welfare, stipulate working conditions such as holidays and various type of employment leaves such as sick leave, maternity leave, personal business leave, military service leave, and . However, the employer and employee can mutually amend the working hours without exceeding the 48-hour limit. It sets the rights and obligations of the employers towards its employees and vice versa. Key takeaways Minimum wages in Thailand range from 328 THB to 354 THB per day. annual leave. This may be the case if the work rules or regulations clearly state that an employee must strictly comply with the employers instructions or commands. All Rights Reserved. The Supreme Court of Thailand has ruled that the employer is in violation of Section 30 if the employer indicates in its work rules that annual leave cannot be carried forward to following years. AI typically learns inductively by training on examples and historical data. The content of this article is intended to provide a general This can be done either by mail, by personal visit to the immigration office, or online. Under the new amendment, when notice is required for termination and the employer does not issue an advance notice, the employer is required to make the payment in lieu of notice on the effective date of termination. However, and in any event, an employer must obtain an employees consent for an employee to work overtime or to work on a holiday. However, if an employee takes sick leave for three days or more, his employer may require the employee to present a certification of such illness from a licensed physician or an official medical establishment. This amendment introduces work of equal value as part of the new condition for equal pay. of the first year of employment. days for each year of employment. Not less than 13 days including National Labor Day. The amendment lays down various changes pertaining to the relocation of employees to a new place of business. The amendment also imposes additional penalties for employers severe failure to make statutory paymentsif the failure is clearly intentional without reasonable grounds, the employer would be subject to an additional surcharge of another 15 percent of the unpaid balance for every seven days so long as it remains unpaid. The Thai National Legislative Assembly approved a resolution to amend the existing Labour Protection Act (the LPA) on December 13, 2018. Regional News Alert: Extra Severance Pay and More Benefits for First, understand that poor work performance is a lack of performance or ability, or an inability to work with other employees. Finally, although it is not directly related to an employees mandatory leave, both employees and employers should note that the Amendment makes clear that an employer is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sex with regard to employee wages;work of the same nature, quality, and quantity, or the work is of equivalent value, must be remunerated at same rate regardless of whether the employee is male or female. Since over this period, Most employers know that terminating employees for poor job performance is not easy. The Labour Protection Act stipulates 3 days paid personal business . An employment contract shall be terminated when the specified period in the employment contract expires, the works related are as follows: Employment on a special project, which is not in the normal way of business or trade of the employer, where there is a fixed schedule for commencement and completion of work. However, in the event that the business that the employee is working for is a hotel, the employer and the employee may agree that the employee may accumulate and postpone his weekly leave days within a period of four consecutive weeks to be taken at any time later. and employees. ANNUAL LEAVE. Second, an employer can, in fact, terminate an employee due to poor work performance. This article addresses common mistakes concerning annual leave. The contribution wage is capped at KHR 1.2m (USD 300). An employer may require an employee to work on holidays if his business is that of a hotel, theatre, transport, restaurant, cafe, club, society, medical establishment, or such other business as is prescribed by Ministerial Regulations with consent of an employee for each time. d. Personal Business Leave (under Section 34, Amendment no. Thai Limited Company The registration procedure and requirements are different for the types of companies.