UĦM accuses Steward Health Care of illegally deducting sick leave pay

Government employees working at three State hospitals managed by Steward Health Care are not being paid their sick leave in full, the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin said.

The company’s decision breached employment law, the union said, adding it was alerted to the practice by workers who had a deduction in salary.

The UĦM Voice of the Workers said that employees on sick leave for four or more days are only being paid for the first three days.

By law, government workers receive their sick leave payment by their employer and are eligible for at least 30 days fully-paid sick leave annually.

Steward Health Care is breaching the provisions of the Employment and Industrial Relations Act, specifically the one on the protection of wages, UĦM said.

The union questioned the reason behind this move given that Steward Health Care receives the full amount of the employees’ wages from the government as part of the concession agreement.

“This is yet another example whereby Steward is profiting from illegally kept money,” the union said, requesting the Health Ministry to stop this illegal practice immediately and give workers the money they are due by the end of this week.