# Labour Department (JTKSM): What It Does and How to File a Labour Complaint

> JTKSM (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia / Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia) is the Ministry of Human Resources agency that enforces the Employment Act 1955, investigates worker complaints such as unpaid wages, and runs the Labour Court for monetary claims in Peninsular Malaysia.

- Category: employment
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-14
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/employment/labour-department-jtksm

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If your employer has not paid your salary, there is a specific government office whose job is to investigate and, where the law allows, order that money paid — without you hiring a lawyer or going to civil court. In Peninsular Malaysia, that office is **JTKSM**: the *Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia*, or **Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia**. It sits under the **Ministry of Human Resources** and enforces the Employment Act 1955 and related labour laws.

## What exactly is JTKSM?

JTKSM is the labour-administration and enforcement arm for Peninsular Malaysia. According to the department, it originated as the *Jabatan Buruh Semenanjung Malaysia* in 1912 and, in February 2003, took over employment-service functions from the Department of Manpower and was renamed JTKSM. It is one of the departments and agencies under the Ministry of Human Resources.

Its role is to make sure employers comply with labour law and that workers are protected. That covers three broad jobs: **enforcement** (minimum wages, working hours, termination), **complaint investigation** (unpaid wages, unfair dismissal, workplace discrimination), and **education and advisory** services.

## What does the department actually do?

The department lists a wide mandate. Its core functions include:

- **Enforcing labour laws**, including the Employment Act 1955, and studying and reviewing amendments to that legislation.
- **Handling labour complaints and disputes** between employees and employers, including **workplace sexual-harassment** complaints.
- **Overseeing retrenchment** — employers must notify the department within 30 days before a layoff.
- **Registration of the place of employment** — employers must report within 90 days of establishing a workplace.
- **Enforcing workers' housing and amenities** under Act 446, processing **foreign-worker** procedures and labour permits, and **licensing private employment agencies** under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981.
- Running **Labour Court** proceedings and conducting labour education programs.

## How do I file a labour complaint?

JTKSM offers several channels. Pick whichever is easiest for you.

| Channel | How to use it |
|---|---|
| eAduan JTKSM app | Mobile app for private-sector workers (and the public), on Google Play and the Apple App Store |
| SisPAA online | Ministry of Human Resources public complaint system at mohr.spab.gov.my |
| Phone | 603-8000 8000 |
| Fax | 03-8888 9111 |
| Email | jtksm@mohr.gov.my |
| In person | Department address: Aras 5, Blok Setia Perkasa 3, Putrajaya |

The eAduan JTKSM app is specifically provided as a channel to report non-compliance with labour laws by employers in Peninsular Malaysia.

## What is the Labour Court, and can it help me?

When a complaint is about money, it is heard in the **Labour Court**. Monetary claims between employers and employees are handled under **Section 69 of the Employment Act 1955 [Act 265]**, and workplace-discrimination claims can be filed under **Section 69F**. This is a lower-cost route than ordinary litigation.

There is an important eligibility limit. Employees earning **more than RM4,000 a month** (except manual employees) are **not** eligible to claim certain benefits before the Labour Court — including overtime, rest-day and paid-holiday work pay, shift allowances, and termination benefits.

## Who does the Employment Act cover now?

The **Employment (Amendment) Act 2022**, effective **1 January 2023**, expanded coverage of the Employment Act to **all employees who have entered into a contract of service, regardless of wage** (with some provisions still excluded for those earning above RM4,000). The same amendments cut the maximum working week from **48 to 45 hours** for all employees. The full text of the Act is published by JTKSM as a downloadable PDF.

## Does JTKSM cover Sabah and Sarawak?

No. JTKSM's authority is **Peninsular Malaysia only**. Workers in Sabah and Sarawak fall under those states' own separate labour departments, so a complaint about a Sabah or Sarawak workplace should not be lodged with JTKSM.

## What's next

Identify whether the workplace is in Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) or in Sabah/Sarawak (their own departments), gather your employment details, and lodge the complaint through eAduan JTKSM, SisPAA, or your nearest labour office. For the entitlements behind a claim — wages, hours, leave and termination — read the underlying Employment Act 1955.

## Sources

- JTKSM Function — https://jtksm.mohr.gov.my/en/corporate-profile/profile/jtksm-function (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM))
- Peranan Jabatan Tenaga Kerja (JTK) — https://www.malaysia.gov.my/en/categories/kerjaya/hak-dan-manfaat-pekerja/peranan-jabatan-tenaga-kerja-jtk (MyGovernment (malaysia.gov.my))
- Services — Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM) — http://jtksm.gov.my/en/services (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM))
- Labour Case — Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM) — https://jtksm.mohr.gov.my/en/services/labour-case (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM))
- eAduan JTKSM — Digital Services — https://www.malaysia.gov.my/en/digital-services/eaduan-jtksm (MyGovernment (malaysia.gov.my))
- Complaints — Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM) — https://jtksm.mohr.gov.my/en/services/complaints (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM))
- Employment Act (Amendment) 2022 — Coverage (official JTKSM document) — https://jtksm.mohr.gov.my/sites/default/files/2023-02/Employment%20Act%20(Amendment)%202022%20.pdf (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM))
- Akta Kerja 1955 (Akta 265) — Laws of Malaysia online reprint — https://jtksm.mohr.gov.my/sites/default/files/2023-11/Akta%20Kerja%201955%20(Akta%20265).pdf (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM))
- Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia — Wikipedia Bahasa Melayu — https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabatan_Tenaga_Kerja_Semenanjung_Malaysia (Wikipedia Bahasa Melayu (secondary — pending primary confirmation))

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