Dismissed From a Job in Labuan
Here is how a claim works for offshore finance and oil and gas support workers in Labuan.
Labuan’s workforce centres on its offshore financial centre and on oil and gas support for nearby operations.
Both fall under the same Section 20 process as any other state.
Offshore finance and oil and gas support
Workers in Labuan’s offshore banking sector are covered by the Employment Act that applies to Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan. Sabah and Sarawak use separate ordinances instead.
Employment Act protections since January 2023 apply here too, including the rule against dismissing a pregnant worker.1
Oil and gas support workers on the island often work on contracts tied to project timelines. An early ending needs a real explanation.
Labuan’s small size means many workers know each other across companies. That familiarity can make it easier to find a colleague willing to confirm what happened.
When a contract ending is really a dismissal
If your contract ended before its term, or was not renewed while your role continued under someone else, that pattern points toward a dismissal.
A retrenchment tied to a genuine drop in project work is different from a selective removal. The distinction matters for your claim.
Keep your contract, project correspondence and payslips together as your core evidence.
The Labuan International Financial Centre also draws staff on secondment from regional offices. Their local dismissal, if it happens on the island, still follows Malaysian law.
Filing a Labuan case
Labuan has no Industrial Court branch of its own.2 A claim goes to the Industrial Court, and JPPM can confirm which Industrial Court branch hears it.
Use the deadline calculator once your last working day is clear. Begin your Section 20 representation while your documents are fresh.
If back wages matter to your case, gather your full pay history now.
If you want a lawyer to act, send your offshore or oil and gas role and your dates. An independent lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
If your offshore banking or oil and gas support job in Labuan ended and you want a lawyer to act, send your dates and what happened. An independent employment lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
I work for an offshore financial company in Labuan. Does the standard unfair dismissal process apply to a role like this?
Yes, Labuan falls under the Employment Act that covers Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, and the same Section 20 unfair dismissal route applies to workmen here. The offshore nature of the company's business does not change your rights as an employee.
My oil and gas support contract in Labuan ended early. Is that treated as a dismissal?
It depends on the facts, including whether the role still exists and how the ending was communicated to you. Keep your contract, any correspondence about the ending and your last working day clearly noted.
Where does a Labuan case go if there is no Industrial Court branch on the island?
Labuan does not have its own Industrial Court branch, and JPPM can confirm which Industrial Court branch hears a case from the island. The distance does not reduce your rights, only where a hearing would take place.
Sources
- The Employment Act 1955 amendments in force from 1 January 2023 extended coverage to all employees regardless of wage and prohibit terminating an employee because she is pregnant. Malay Mail
- The Industrial Court sits at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters with branches including Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
Keep reading
If your offshore banking or oil and gas support job in Labuan ended and you want a lawyer to act, send your dates and what happened. An independent employment lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.