Indonesia expects to create 20 to 45 million jobs through digitalisation
Improving the skills of Indonesian workers will also be a priority, said National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa.
Australian federal public service urged to extend parental leave entitlements
Employees who experience miscarriage or still birth should also be provided with paid leave, said the Community and Public Sector Union.
New Zealand rolls out COVID-19 support to businesses
To qualify for the handout, businesses must show a 40% drop in revenue over seven consecutive days during the six weeks prior to February 15.
Malaysia studies move to increase minimum wage
Despite the rollout of government work support initiatives, employers have been reluctant to offer decent salaries to potential workers.
Japan to focus on flexible working in upcoming labour talks
The Japanese Trade Union Confederation wants businesses to define workplace rules related to the eligibility for remote work.
Malaysia urges firms to return to WFH arrangements
The health ministry noted that the current infectious rate of COVID-19 in the country is higher, and most likely caused by the Omicron variant.
Over two thirds of firms in Japan have no plans to raise base wages this year
Instead, pay increases are more likely to come in the form of one-time bonuses, which may not lead to increased household spending
Singapore managed to avoid higher unemployment in 2021
Government support ensured the unemployment rate hit 3.5% instead of 7.5% in 2021, said the country’s finance ministry.
Australia’s online job vacancies reach 13-year high
The majority of recruitment remains concentrated in capital cities, with the highest number of job ads in Sydney and Melbourne.
Minimum wage hike will only benefit foreign workers in Malaysia
Foreign workers would send back the surplus of their salaries to their home countries, instead of spending their earnings in Malaysia, says employers group.
Fresh grads in Singapore offered higher pay for full-time jobs
84% of fresh graduates were employed in full-time jobs within six months of completing their exams, an increase from 69.8% in 2020 and 81.7% in 2019.
Singapore reviews fair employment practices
Incentives that are based on employees’ use of sick leave will be deemed as “unfair practice”, says the Manpower Minister.
New Zealand rolls out plans to ease IT skills shortage
The country aims to nurture local talent, instead of relying heavily on skilled foreign workers in the industry.
Regional Australia facing shortage of workers
Workers employed in regional Australia last December was just 1% more than in December 2020, while job ads ballooned by 36%.
Less firms in Singapore tap into pandemic support
S$8.6 billion in loans was provided to 12,600 companies in 2021, compared to S$18 billion to 21,000 companies in 2020.
New Zealand to raise minimum wage to NZ$21.20 from April
The move is designed to strike the right balance between retaining the standard of living for low-wage workers and meeting the needs of businesses.
Men in Australia twice as likely to be paid more than women
Some 22% of company boards also do not have a single woman on them, while less than one in five CEOs are female, a report has found.
Malaysian worker unions push for minimum wage hike
Employees have suffered as much as employers during the pandemic, said the Labour Law Reform Coalition.
Hong Kong to dole out cash subsidy for the unemployed
The handouts will exclude workers who lost their jobs before the current wave of outbreaks began last December.
Japan rolling out digital training programmes to foster tech skills
The educational programmes are slated to start in fiscal 2022, and are designed to improve the employability of Japanese workers.
Number of furloughed workers in Taiwan falls
In recent weeks, the number of furloughed workers in Taiwan has hovered around 10,000, which indicates a stable trend, said an official.
Malaysia encourages businesses to WFH where possible
Employers have been told to avoid face-to-face meetings for now, and are encouraged to help their workers undergo regular COVID-19 tests.
India resumes full office attendance for central government employees
Heads of departments are also called on to ensure that employees wear face masks at all times, and abide by the appropriate social distancing measures.
Average wage of foreign employees in South Korea to exceed 30 million won
This prediction is based on year-end tax adjustments of foreign employees’ official tax data, with the majority of these workers coming from China.
Hong Kong considers short-term subsidy for jobless residents
Prior to this, the authorities had said that those who were unemployed could get help from existing social welfare schemes.
WFH blurs boundaries between work and play, says WHO
WHO also highlighted some positives from teleworking, which was found to have a positive effect on self-reported health.
South Korea’s working age population expected to fall by 3.2 million in 2030
The number of people aged 15 and above who are able and willing to hold a job is forecast to start a downward turn after reaching its peak in 2025.
Job availability in Japan falls for third straight year
The ratio of job availability stood at 1.13 in 2021, indicating that there were 113 openings for every 100 jobseekers, down 0.05 points from 2020.
Firms in New Zealand ask for cheaper unemployment insurance scheme
The government has proposed a compulsory national income insurance scheme which would replace 80% of a workers’ income, up to a cap of NZ$130,911.
Calls to increase wages in Philippines seen as untimely
Although the country sees some signs of recovery, the situation still remains “very unstable”, said a labour official.