14 replies to this topic

[pistachios]

My girlfriend got an interesting job offer in a medical facility.
She would get training from top doctor as well as a decent salary.
On low season, she would work 7 hours a day with one day off per week. But on high season she was asked to work 9 hours a day, no day off, for 5 months in a row. Reason is that there isn't much activity on low season but she would get full salary during that time.
The job is tempting but I think it's borderline insane to ask someone to work 63 hours per week non stop for 5 months in a row.

Is this even legal? From what I read on internet, thai employees are untilted to one day off per week.
I suggested her to make a counter offer including one day off but she seems a bit relunctant to negociate that with a doctor who seems to impress her.

Edited by pistachios, 2012-08-10 21:13:16.

[Spoonman]

Thai labour law.
48 hr week.
8 hr day max.

anything over is overtime.

Edited by Spoonman, 2012-08-10 21:21:25.

[Derifo]

It's normal for hospitals to overwork their staff. Working sixteen hours is common amongst Thai nurses.

You can always check her duty rooster monthly.

[CMSteve]

Salaried..... anything goes.

[FritsSikkink]

Salaried..... anything goes.

Not true.
An employee needs 1 day holiday per week.
The holiday may be posponed and accumulated if employer and employee agree on this in advance
but has to be taken within a period of 4 weeks.

http://www.mol.go.th...ages/jpg/01.pdf

[pistachios]

Not true.
An employee needs 1 day holiday per week.
The holiday may be posponed and accumulated if employer and employee agree on this in advance
but has to be taken within a period of 4 weeks.

http://www.mol.go.th...ages/jpg/01.pdf

Thanks for the link, interesting document.

I found what you wrote on Section 28, however Section 25 says
"An Employer may require an Employee to work on a Holiday in a medical establishment"
And regulation n°3
"working hours on Holidays under paragraphs two and three of Section 25 shall, in aggregate, not exceed 36 hours per week in aggregate."

Not sure which section takes priority but the doctor could be well within the law...

It's normal for hospitals to overwork their staff. Working sixteen hours is common amongst Thai nurses.

You can always check her duty rooster monthly.

It's a private clinic. Long days is not a problem for her, it's the lack of day off that seems crazy.
Problem is the clinic is too small for 2 assistants, the doctor can't work without an assistant, and she can't work without days off. Seems like she'll have to say no to this job

[arkom]

A friend of mine used to work for King Power at the airport. Working hours were similar for low season, for high season she worked I think 2 months with no days off, but at end of 2 months would get 1 week off.

[crille30]

Well if your wife is well educated and get a job like this easy sure say no, but It sounds like a great chanse.
Take the job,not easy to find jobs like this were they are willing to train you.Work one year and see it as a school and after she can start make demands or can look for other jobs becuse then she have experience.Need to sacrifies little of the time to gain for future.Just what I would like to find for my GF and I would support her In any way.I would danicng on the table if can get all days by my self .

[zzdocxx]

Not going to have much time for you, it would seem.

[bino]

Maybe the Doctor is "trying it on" - see if she is willing to accept this, or see if she is smart / self respecting enough to challenge it.

Since it is low season now and your wife will be getting her day off each week, I'd suggest that she takes the job and rides out the 3 month probation period, collecting the nice salary, getting th on-the-job training and having her entitled day off in this time. When she has completed probation will be about the same time as high season arrival. She can try the seven day week, and if it turns out to be too much, no overtime pay, or time off in lieu of the time worked, she can make a complaint to the Labour Department. If the employer chooses to terminate her over this, she will be entitled to an extra month of pay,

[barefoot1988]

everything in thailand is legal til ________ (fill in the blanks)

anyway 9 hours work daily for 5 months straight? we work to live, not live to work

Edited by barefoot1988, 2012-08-12 05:52:02.

[gk10002000]

No experience with this in Thailand, but I echo one of the other poster's concernes that it may be a "trial". Same thing happens here in the USA. Let's see how much crap they will take or how low a rate they will take or how much they need the job.

[simple1]

usual stuff for Thai employers in small organisations. As someone said good for work experience. Note it's also fairly common not to be paid for days off if sick & no annual paid holiday leave.

[FalangBaa]

It's normal for hospitals to overwork their staff. Working sixteen hours is common amongst Thai nurses.

You can always check her duty rooster monthly.

Her "duty rooster"? Is that the chicken she keeps in her room to wake her up in good time to get to work before dawn?

[rkidlad]

I know a few Thai girls who work 6 sometimes 7 days a week and longer than 8 hours a day. Asked if they're paid overtime they laugh and say 'of course not'.

Asked why would you work for free? The response is usually 'I want to be a good staff for my boss'

For the most part around the world, if you let someone take advantage of you, they will.

When it comes to being an employee, your time should always be money.