Claim Every Day of Leave the Law Guarantees You

Ko Aung Kyaw had worked at a construction materials warehouse in Insein for three years. In all that time, he took exactly four days off — two when his father was hospitalized and two during Thingyan. Each time, his supervisor docked his pay. Ko Aung Kyaw never questioned it. He assumed leave was a privilege the employer could grant or deny. When his daughter got sick with dengue fever and he needed a full week away, the supervisor threatened to replace him. Ko Aung Kyaw went to work anyway, leaving his wife alone at the hospital. His coworker, Ma Phyu, told him afterward that Myanmar law guarantees 10 days of paid annual leave, 6 days of casual leave, and 30 days of medical leave per year. Ko Aung Kyaw had lost at least 48 days of paid leave over three years — and the pay deductions for the days he did take were illegal. He calculated the lost wages at over 400,000 kyats. But worse than the money was the week he was not at his daughter's hospital bed because he believed he had no choice.