Maternity leave calculator for Malaysia
Enter your due date and when you want to stop work. The calculator shows the first and last day of your 98 days of maternity leave under the Employment Act 1955, the day you are back, the public holidays that fall inside it, and whether the leave is paid.
- 98 consecutive days for each birth, weekends and public holidays included (section 37).
- It can start up to 30 days before the birth and no later than the day after it, counted from the actual birth. If a doctor appointed by your employer certifies that you can no longer do your work properly, your employer may require you to start in the 14 days before.
- Paid at least at your ordinary rate if you were employed by the employer for 90 days in the 9 months before the birth and at any time in the 4 months before it. On a monthly salary, your salary simply carries on.
- No maternity allowance if you already have five or more surviving children; the 98 days of leave still apply.
- Tell your employer in the 60 days before your due date, with the day your leave starts; in writing is safest (section 40).
- Your husband gets 7 consecutive days of paid paternity leave for up to five births if you are married, he has been employed 12 months by his employer and he tells them at least 30 days before the due date (section 60FA).
How many days of maternity leave do I get in Malaysia?
98 consecutive days for each birth under the Employment Act 1955, since 1 January 2023. They run straight through, so weekends and public holidays inside them are part of the 98 days.
How do I calculate my 98 days?
Pick your first day of leave, from 30 days before the birth to the day after it (your due date is the guide; the Act counts from the actual birth), and count 98 days including that day. The 98th day is your last; the next day you are back at work.
Is maternity leave paid in Malaysia?
Yes, at least at your ordinary rate of pay, if you were employed by your employer for at least 90 days in the 9 months before the birth and at any time in the 4 months before it, and you have fewer than five surviving children. On a monthly salary it is paid as your usual salary.
Can I go back to work before the 98 days are up?
Yes, with your employer's agreement and a doctor's certificate that you are fit to work (section 37(1)(aa)).