Getting a job offer should be exciting. But sometimes, the terms in the letter can make you think twice before signing.
A screenshot of a job offer letter shared on Threads has drawn criticism for several conditions, including a clause stating that Muslim employees would have one hour of their salary deducted every Friday for prayers.
Other details, including an unusually specific 8.29am start time and RM5 attendance penalties, also caught netizens’ attention.
One hour’s pay deducted for Friday prayers
In the post, a Threads user reminded jobseekers to read and understand every detail of an offer before accepting it.
The user suggested that the terms in an offer letter could already give applicants an idea of how a company’s management operates.
In the shared excerpt, a section titled “Muslim Worker” reads:
Every Friday will deduct 1 hours of salary for praying purpose.”
The clause quickly became a talking point, with commenters questioning why employees would face a salary deduction for attending Friday prayers.
The company’s identity is not shown in the excerpt.
Work starts at 8.29am, with RM5 attendance penalties
The letter also lists working hours as 8.29am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, and 8.29am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.
Under the working hours section, it states that late attendance and absenteeism would attract a RM5 penalty per occurrence.
However, the wording left readers scratching their heads.
Apart from using “find” instead of “fine”, the sentence ends with “3 times above shall be glanded”, without clearly explaining what that means.
Several commenters poked fun at the spelling errors, while others questioned the oddly precise reporting time.
One commenter pointed out the difference between “find” and “fine”, adding that the letter’s red flags had reached an almost comical level.
‘Even I’m not Muslim and this feels like a red flag’
Much of the criticism centred on the proposed deduction for Friday prayers.
One commenter described it as a red flag that even Friday prayers would result in a pay cut.
Another, who identified themselves as a non-Muslim, agreed that the condition was concerning.
Others said that while they could work around the absence of a dedicated prayer room, having their salary deducted for praying went too far.
Some commenters also urged the matter to be reported to the Labour Department.
Others share how their employers accommodate prayers
The discussion prompted several users to share more positive experiences at their own workplaces.
One said their company’s owners had provided a surau and would wait if an employee they needed was praying.
According to the commenter, Muslim male employees were also given a two-hour break on Fridays.
They added that staff did not necessarily use the entire break, explaining that their employer’s flexibility encouraged them to be considerate in return.
Another commenter said their workplace allowed a three-hour Friday prayer break without deducting their salary.
While the post sparked plenty of discussion, the screenshots only show part of the purported offer letter. They do not establish whether the listed deductions were actually imposed on employees.
M’sian Man Shocked After Boss Deducts His Pay For Friday Prayers, Says It’s Counted As ‘Time Off’
