Malta Employment Law

Employment and Industrial Relations News

Bullying at Work

This week (the week from Monday 16th November 2020 until the 20th November 2020) is anti-bullying week – a week meant to raise awareness against prejudice and bullying not only in schools but also at the workplace and cyber-bullying. Maltese employment law does not deal directly with bullying but with harassment, and this in connection with discriminatory treatment or with sexual harassment. Does this mean that unless there is discrimination involved, the employer is not bound to protect employees from bullying at work?The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ('ACAS') in the UK defines bullying as behaviour from a person or…

Christine Calleja17th November 2020

COVID19 Measures Employment and Industrial Relations

Covid 19 – Employment Measures

COVID 19 – Employment MeasuresThe coronavirus has started taken its toll on Maltese business with many employers, especially those in the tourism and entertainment industry, having to shut down their operations temporarily. This article addresses the main queries which are being asked by employers in view of the current situation. What is quarantine leave?On the 13th March 2020, Legal Notice 62 of 2020 (the Minimum Special Leave Entitlement (Amendment) Regulations) came into force to make provision for quarantine leave. Quarantine leave is defined as "leave to be granted to the employee without loss of wages in such cases where the…

Christine Calleja16th March 2020

Employment and Industrial Relations

Court Enforces Restrictive Clause and Corresponding Penalty in an Employment Contract

In a judgment delivered on the 16th September 2019, the First Hall Civil Court examined the issue of restrictive covenants in an employment contract. The ex-employee of the plaintiff company had bound himself not to: ""in any way deemed detrimental to the business operation and/or goodwill of the Employer, solicit, communicate, employ, contact or carry out any business deals in the widest sense, whether alone or with any other person or entity, either directly or indirectly, any customers, of the Employer anywhere in Malta or Gozo." Tied to this clause was a corresponding penalty of €18,000 in case of breach.…

Christine Calleja30th September 2019

Employment and Industrial Relations

Can an Employee Appeal from the Amount of Compensation Established by the Industrial Tribunal?

Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta limits the right of appeal of an aggrieved party in cases of unfair dismissal and other cases falling within the jurisdiction of the Industrial Tribunal to points of law only. However, the definition of what constitutes a point of law has recently been given quite a wide interpretation by the Court of Appeal. Such an example is the case decided last month, on the 8th March 2019 (64/2017), by the Court of Appeal. The Industrial Tribunal found that the employee who had instituted unfair dismissal proceedings had been unfairly dismissed and awarded him…

Christine Calleja23rd April 2019

Employment and Industrial Relations

Court of Appeal Criticises Industrial Tribunal in a Transfer of Business Case

In the judgment delivered on the 5th of October 2018, in the names of Antoinette Farrugia vs Optical (CCSG) Company Limited and Classic Group (Appeal nr. 16/2018) the Court of Appeal (Inferior Jurisdiction) delved into the issue of what constitutes a transfer within the meaning of the Transfer of Business (Protection of Employment) Regulations and article 38 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Act. The case in question was initiated by a claim filed before the Industrial Tribunal by Antoinette Farrugia ('claimant') who was employed with Optical (CCSG) Company Limited ("Optical") on an indefinite basis. On the 8th of December…