TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) objected to the Jakarta government’s plan to regulate office working hours in the capital. The Apindo’s head of manpower division, Anton J. Supit, said the government has no authority to determine the office hours but the company.

“The legislation does not regulate the start and end of working hours every day,” Anton said in a written statement, Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

According to him, the office hours in private companies have followed the laws and regulations on labor. The rules only limit the office day. If it exceeds these provisions, the company must present overtime pay.

Additionally, the office hours are adjusted to the operational needs of each company. The company thus issues a Company Regulation (PP) and/or Collective Labor Agreement (PKB). The company management and trade or labor unions must first discuss these two internal company instruments.

Anton assessed that staggered office hours cannot be applied to all private offices in the city because the operations of several industrial sectors adjust to office hours abroad, such as the stock exchange, an import-export company that involves various institutions, such as banking and customs.

"The uniformity of office hours needs thorough studies,” Anton remarked.

Previous reports suggest that the Traffic Director of Jakarta Police Sr. Comr. Latif Usman claimed ministries, local governments, and business players agreed to alter the office working hours in a bid to tackle congestion in the city.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria, however, dismissed the statement. He said the police’s suggestion is still being discussed and cannot be determined unilaterally.

LANI DIANA WIJAYA

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