RM500 fine for toilet break? Restaurant in Malaysia under fire for allegedly imposing penalties on staff

Working in the F&B industry is tough, but the consequences of not following this list of rules set by a Japanese restaurant in Malaysia might be even tougher for its staff.

A ramen chain in Kuala Lumpur has come under fire for allegedly deducting salaries of staff who take medical leave and toilet breaks.

A photo of its rules and regulations for employees was posted on Facebook on Sunday (Feb 18) by a netizen. 

"My friend works at a popular ramen shop in KL, and these are the company's policies for their employees," wrote the user. 

According to the photo, fines ranging from RM30 to RM500 (S$8.40 to S$140.50) will be imposed on staff for various 'offences'.

Some of the penalties include: RM100 fine per day for taking medical leave, an RM200 fine for using their mobile phones during working hours and a RM500 fine for going to the toilet during peak periods.

There's also a RM100 fine for taking unpaid leave, and a RM500 fine for a bad review from a customer. 

Employees are also not allowed to accept tips from customers, and will be fined RM500 if they are found to be doing so. 

The post quickly went viral after being reposted on social media platforms, with netizens slamming the restaurant and questioning if it was legal for the shop to dish out such fines.

"What they need are not workers but AI robots," said a netizen. "People are bound to make mistakes, especially in these jobs where they work for long hours."

Company may face legal repercussions 

When contacted by the New Straits Times (NST), the ramen chain involved said it has lodged a police report, but declined to disclose further details.

In response to an email query by NST that it imposed penalties on workers that allegedly breached labour laws, the company reportedly replied: "So we cannot answer your question."

Malaysia's Human Resources Minister Steven Sim told NST that the F&B company may face legal repercussions for breach of conduct.

"Employers cannot deduct salaries except for items allowed by law, such as Employees Provident Fund, Social Security Organisation, and income tax.

"Salary deductions cannot be used for other purposes, including so-called disciplinary measures. Disciplinary measures must be addressed through a proper procedure of Domestic Inquiry," said Sim.

He also urged those involved to lodge a report with the Labour Department, so that actions can be taken.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com