1.1 Definition
Women can be defined as an adult female person. Work can be defined as to do a job that you are paid for.
1.2 History of working women
Many women have been participating in work force such as formal sector. Those existing conditions for employment are gender biased. It is like men usually goes to work and women is responsible to take care of children as they are not compatible with the job requirement. The majority of women in developing countries is not able to subsume family responsibilities and thus must work in the informal sector of the economy. The informal sector is characterized by the predominance of small scale self-employment activities that are unregulated (Todaro, 1994 , p.253).
1.3 Statistic of working women
Women represent 36% of the Malaysian workforce according to official statistics. Half of this comprises women working as unpaid, family workers. About 63.1% of women are working aged between 15 and 64 years, and of the number, about 47.3% have joined workforce.
Statistics have also shown that among working women, married women numbered 2.1 million people or 58.1%. These statistics showed that more than half of the women working in this country played two roles, i.e. in their homes and places of work.
A study by the ministry found that the contribution of women is unpaid job is huge, i.e. equivalent to about 18.7% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2003 or equivalent to 75 billion ringgit.
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1.4 Law relating to working women
Law that is related to working women is Employment Act 1955 (ACT 265) & REGULATION AND ORDER. In the act which is part VIII, it state about employment of women. In the part, it stated about prohibition of night work, prohibition of underground work and also prohibition of employment by Minister. There are also part IX in the act which stated about maternity protection. In the part, it state about length of eligible period and entitlement to maternity allowance, payment of...