JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION [ S.L.452.56 1 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 452.56 JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ORDER 25th August, 1977 LEGAL NOTICE 118 of 1977, as amended by Legal Notices 122 of 1978, 427 of 2007, 141 of 2010, 362 of 2012, 334, 444 of 2013, 482 of 2014, 5 of 2016, 97 and 383 of 2017 and 104 and 351 of 2019, 469 of 2020, 464 of 2021, 335 of 2022, 286 of 2023, 341 of 2024 and 288 of
- The title of this Order is Jewellery and Watches Wages Council Wage Regulation Order. Title.
- The provisions set out in the Schedule hereto shall apply to all employees in respect of whom the Jewellery and Watches Wages Council operates. Field of operation of Wages Council. SCHEDULE Amended by: L.N. 122 of 1978; L.N. 427 of 2007; L.N. 141 of 2010; L.N. 362 of 2012; L.N. 334 of 2013; L.N. 444 of 2013; L.N. 482 of 2014; L.N. 5 of 2016; L.N. 97 of 2017; L.N. 383 of 2017; L.N. 104 of 2019; L.N. 351 of 2019; L.N. 469 of 2020; L.N. 464 of 2021; L.N. 335 of 2022; L.N. 286 of 2023; L.N. 341 of 2024; L.N. 288 of
- In this Schedule, unless the context otherwise requires - "customary holidays" means the days (other than Sundays) declared for the time being to be public holidays by or under the National Holidays and other Public Holidays Act; "day" means a period of twenty-four consecutive hours commencing from midnight of one day to midnight of the next following day; "hours of work" means the time on any day during which the employees are at the disposal of the employer, exclusive of the intervals allowed for meals and rest; "part-time employee" means an employee whose normal hours of work, calculated on a weekly basis or on average over a period of employment of up to one year, are less than the normal hours of work of a comparable whole-time employee and who is not a whole-time employee with reduced hours; "period of employment" means the time in any day during which the employees are at the disposal of the employer, inclusive of the Interpretation. Cap.
- 2 [ S.L.452.56 JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION intervals allowed for meals and rest; "time-and-a-half" and "double-time" mean respectively one and a half times and double the actual time rate applicable to the employee; "wages" means remuneration or earnings payable in money by an employer to an employee; "week" means a calendar week; "weekly day of rest" means a period of twenty-four consecutive hours commencing at the time at which the employee would normally commence his turn of duty; "whole-time employee" means an employee who is deemed to be a whole-time employee in terms of any recognized conditions of employment. Hours of work. 2.
(1)(
- a)The normal hours of work of the establishment shall be spaced between the times of 7.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on any day of the week from Monday to Friday (both days inclu sive). Any att end ance on Saturday shall be compensated by the same number of hours of time off in lieu. Except in the case of whole-time employees employed as watchmen, Sunday shall be allowed as a weekly day of rest. (
- b)Watchmen shall be allowed one weekly day of rest.
(2)The minimum weekly wage of whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be related to a week of forty hours of work, while that of watchmen shall be related to a week of sixty hours of work. Minimum weekly wages of wholetime employees. Amended by: L.N.97 of 2017; L.N. 383 of 2017; L.N. 104 of 2019; L.N. 351 of 2019; L.N. 469 of 2020; L.N. 464 of 2021; L.N. 335 of 2022; L.N. 286 of 2023; L.N. 341 of 2024; L.N. 288 of 2025. 3.
(1)The minimum weekly wages of whole-time employees, other than watchmen, aged eighteen years or over shall be as follows During the first two years of employment in the trade .................................................................. €229.44 During the third year of employment in the trade .................................................................. €233.52 During the fourth year of employment in the trade ................................................................... €235.85 During the fifth year of employment in the trade ................................................................... €238.18.
(2)The minimum weekly wages of whole-time employees, other than watchmen, under eighteen years of age shall be as follows aged 16 years .................................................... €219.82 aged 17 years .................................................... €222.66.
(3)The minimum weekly wages of whole-time watchmen, independently of their age, shall be as follows: (
- a)those whose duties are mainly performed indoors .................................................................. €229.44 JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION [ S.L.452.56 3 (
- b)those whose duties are mainly performed out of doors .................................................................. €231.77. 4. Whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be allowed intervals for meals and rest of not less in the aggregate than one and a half hours on any day of the week from Monday to Friday and of not less than a quarter of an hour on any Saturday. 5. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 hereof (
- a)whole-time employees, other than watchmen, shall be paid overtime as follows - Minimum daily rest. Minimum overtime rates. (
- i)for all time worked in excess of the normal hours of work of the establishment .... time-and-a-half; (
- ii)for all time worked during Sundays and customary holidays ....................... double-time; (iii) for all time worked in excess of forty hours, except work performed on Saturdays which may be compensated by the same number of hours of time off in lieu, in any one week, exclusive of any overtime payable in terms of the foregoing provisions ........ time-and-a-half; (
- b)watchmen shall be paid overtime, for all time worked in excess of sixty hours in any one week ....................................................... time-and-a-half. 6. Whole-time employees shall be entitled, in every calendar year, to - Customary holidays and vacation leave. (
- a)all customary holidays with full pay, and (
- b)after three months in employment, vacation leave of such number of working days with full pay as is equivalent to the number of working days as that particular employee should normally attend to work during a period of four weeks: Provided that such leave shall be availed of in agreement with the employer: Provided further that whole-time employees who have been in employment for less than one year shall be entitled to such part of the said vacation leave as is in proportion to the number of months in employment. 7.
(1)After the first six months of service, a whole-time employee shall in every calendar year be entitled to the equivalent in hours of twelve days sick leave on full pay, less an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act, and part-time employees shall have a pro rata entitlement to sick leave in hours on full pay, less an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act, which amount is also to be calculated on a pro rata basis: Provided that (
- a)the first three days of any claim for sick leave shall be paid in full by the employer; Sick leave. Cap. 318. 4 [ S.L.452.56 JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION (
- b)a medical certificate covering the period of absence is produced to the employer on the day of return to work or, if such period of absence is longer than seven days, within seven days of the onset of sick leave absence; Cap. 318. Cap. 318. (
- c)employees in receipt of a social security pension in respect of retirement or widowhood in terms of the Social Security Act shall, for the purpose of calculating the sick leave pay due, be deemed to have received an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act.
(2)After the first six months of service, a whole-time employee shall in every calendar year be entitled to the equivalent in hours of a further twenty-four days sick leave on half pay, less an amount equal to half the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act, and part-time employees shall have a pro rata entitlement to sick leave in hours on half pay, less an amount equal to half the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act, which amount is also to be calculated on a pro rata basis: Provided that (
- a)the first three days of any claim for sick leave shall be paid at half pay by the employer; (
- b)a medical certificate covering the period of absence is produced to the employer on the day of return to work or, if such period of absence is longer than seven days, within seven days of the onset of sick leave absence; Cap. 318. (
- c)employees in receipt of a social security pension in respect of retirement or widowhood in terms of the Social Security Act shall, for the purpose of calculating the sick leave pay due, be deemed to have received an amount equal to half the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act.
(3)The employer may require a medical certificate by his own physician to certify incapacity for work during the period of absence.
(4)For the purpose of this paragraph, an interruption of employment of not more than two months shall not be deemed to break the continuity of service. S.L. 452.87. Bereavement leave.
(5)The sick leave entitlement granted by virtue of this paragraph shall be calculated on the basis provided for annual leave as specified in regulation 8
(1)of the Organisation of Working Time Regulations. 8. A whole-time employee shall be entitled to two days leave on full pay on the occasion of the death of the following relatives: the wife or husband, the mother or father (or the person who at that time is acting as the father or mother of the employee), the son or daughter, and the brother or sister. JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION [ S.L.452.56 9. A whole-time employee shall be allowed three working days leave on full pay on the occasion of his marriage and one working day leave on full pay on the occasion of the birth of a child to his wife. Special leave. 10. A whole-time employee shall, if called upon to serve as juror, be allowed time off as necessary, without any deduction from pay so as to enable him to attend to his duties at the Courts. Jury leave. 11. A whole-time employee shall be entitled to one year injury leave on full pay, less the full amount of any injury benefit to which such employee may be entitled in terms of the Social Security Act, if he is injured during the actual discharge of his duty and such injury is not due to any contributory negligence on his part or to a n y c o n tr a ve nt i o n b y h im o f s a f e t y r u le s la id d ow n b y t h e management. Injury leave. 12. An employee is entitled to the payment of the minimum wages applicable to him for all time during which he is present on the premises of his employer or elsewhere unless he is present thereon in any of the following circumstances - Waiting time. Cap. 318. (
- a)without the employer’s consent, expressed or implied; (
- b)for some purpose unconnected with his work and other than that of waiting for work to be given to him to perform; (
- c)by reason only of the fact that he is resident thereon; (
- d)during normal meal times in a room or place in which no work is being done, and he is not waiting for work to be given to him to perform. 13. In cases where retirement of a male employee is expected at the age of sixty years, such employee shall be given the opportunity by the employer to retain his employment beyond this age at least until the age of sixty-one years, provided that the employee in question shall still be allowed, if he so wishes, to retire at sixty years. EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Schedule but it is intended to indicate its applicability). The provisions of the above Schedule apply to employees employed in any undertaking or part of an undertaking, the activities of which consist wholly or mainly in gilding, engraving in gold or silver or in the manufacture of jewellery, clocks and watches. In these proposals: "manufacture" includes repair; and "jewellery" means articles made wholly or mainly of or covered with gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals and includes diamonds or precious stones, articles of rolled gold. Retiring age. 5 6 [ S.L.452.56 JEWELLERY AND WATCHES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION