Working in a legal firm,... employment act?

A friend of mine got a job as acc clerk in one legal firm in Ipoh. It's quite established and making good business, even bought the office furniture from overseas.  But, employees are ill-treated. There's no employment letter, salary be given on 6th of every month so that no staff will leave employment after month end. Staff who give notice will be asked "why you applied here before?". Staff even asked to do cleaners job as the two partners said 'it's hard to get good cleaners'. More worst, staff will get yelled, screamed etc if they were found to be free. Litigation and conveyancing firm, but do they know the employment act? Any comment please?

Dear Lily,

You want to know my comment, here it goes:

I think the legal firm knows the employment act very well or may be too well and what they did, eg. no employment letter, salary be given on 6th of every month, etc is legal in employment act.  Contract of service means any agreement, whether express or implied, and if express, whether oral or in writing where the employer agrees to employ and the employee agrees to be employed.  However the act also said that "Where an employee begins employment with an employer and for a period of more than one month, such employee must be given a written contract of employment with particulars of the terms and conditions of employment including the notice period required to terminate the contract of employment." Advise your friend to talk to the onwner about the employment contract. 

As for paying salary on the sixth day of every month, it is also not wrong as the Employment Act allows employer to pay employee not later than seventh day after the last day of every month.

You said employees are ill-treated, it is very subjective issue and is not fair for me to comment.