Five-Day Work Week Arrangement Extended: What Member Companies Need to Know
Member companies are hereby informed that an extension has been granted with effect from 1st of January 2026 to 31st December 2026 to the “spread over of working hours on five days of the week” facility.
With regard to extending the above facility beyond the current effective period, EFC made a formal request to the Labour Authorities via letter dated 25th November 2025, seeking an extension for a minimum period of one year commencing from 1st January 2026.
The above mentioned request was subsequently considered at the National Labour Advisory (NLAC) Council meeting held on 18th December 2025, and a decision was taken to grant the said extension for the administrative relaxation for a period of twelve (12) months, commencing from 1st January 2026. It was further decided that the Department of Labour will conduct a review of this arrangement in June 2026.
Accordingly, member companies that are eligible and intending to implement the five-day work week arrangement are required to submit applications to the Commissioner General of Labour, supported by letters of consent obtained from workers, in the same manner as required previously.
Members are strongly advised to note that the continuation of this scheme is strictly subject to compliance with the conditions under which the relaxation has been granted. In particular, scheduling work on Saturdays may result in the revocation of the permission granted to operate a five-day work week.
As members are aware, one of the key conditions attached to this relaxation is the requirement to grant workers a full additional weekly holiday on Saturdays. This is provided in lieu of workers agreeing to work an additional one hour per day from Monday to Friday without being entitled to the overtime payment.
All applications, including applications for renewal, must be directly addressed to the Commissioner General of Labour, with copies forwarded to:
- the Commissioner of Labour – Labour Standards Division, Narahenpita, and
- the Assistant Commissioner of Labour of the area in which the relevant production facility is located.
Member companies are encouraged to ensure full compliance with the stipulated conditions to avoid any disruption to the continued operation of the five-day work week arrangement.