The Act was only applicable to two categories of employees:

1. regardless of occupation, employees not earning more than RM2,000 a month; and
2. regardless of wages, employees carrying on certain occupation such as manual workers, supervisors of manual workers, employees operating mechanically propelled vehicles, etc.

The Act shall apply to any person who has entered a contract of service / employment contract. Provisions in the EA 1955 which shall now apply to all employees include, among others:

1. Requirement to furnish to every employee a certified copy of the details of their terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to: occupation, wage rates, allowances, overtime rate, other benefits, agreed normal hours of work, notice period, entitlement to public holidays and annual leave and duration of wage period;
2. Requirements on the issuance of monthly payslips to all employees, and the contents of the said payslips;
3. Provisions on minimum entitlement(s) to annual, sick and hospitalization leave including carry forward and encashment of annual leave;
4. Restrictions on the type of deductions which can be made from an employee's wages. All other deductions not within the list of lawful deductions under the EA 1955...