Some 70% of South Korean firms telework due to pandemic
A survey found that over 43% of companies did not see their level of productivity affected by remote work.
Singapore redoubles efforts to support lower-wage workers
The Progressive Wage Model will be expanded to new sectors such as retail, food services and waste management.
China expects skills mismatch in future labour market
The country’s new five-year employment plan pledged to boost skill levels in the economy, with a focus on vocational education.
Business association urges Malaysia to reopen borders to boost businesses
Samenta also calls on for the exemption of hotel quarantines for business travellers who are fully vaccinated and have tested negative for COVID-19.
Singapore supports low-wage workers, extends COVID-19 tests aid
Singapore will ramp up the funding of a scheme that helps local workers whose earnings are in the bottom 20%, receiving not more than S$2,300 a month.
More Japanese public servants take up paternity leave
Some 97.2% of the male national public servants whose children were born between July 2020 and March 2021 took paternity leave for at least a month.
More vaccines allocated for selected workers in the Philippines
The government is currently looking to ramp up its vaccination of priority groups, which include workers in essential industries.
Singapore’s NTUC to push for unemployment support and benefits
The NTUC-SNEF PME Taskforce had consulted over 9,000 PMEs aged between 20 to 60 years old on their key concerns and needs at the workplace.
Taiwan’s labour minister hopeful for larger minimum wage hike next year
The hike is required to support sectors badly impacted by the pandemic, including hotel, F&B and assorted services.
Employment in South Korea’s second tier cities picks up
As of end-April, employment in South Korea’s minor cities and counties rose by 3.6% year-on-year as the economy continues to recover.
Some 90% of Japanese firms struggle with remote work
A survey revealed that many companies found a lack of communication among employees a barrier to remote work, among other challenges.
Victoria awards public sector staff COVID-19 vaccination leave
The leave covers full-time, part-time, long-term staff and regular casuals at public entities, and grants workers half a day off to get their jabs.
Singapore employers urged to regularly test unvaccinated workers
From October 1, workers in selected industries will be required to either be vaccinated, or undergo regular testing.
Japan mulls tax breaks for investments into startups
The programme was first introduced in fiscal 2020 as a two-year measure, and is set to expire in March 2022.
Companies in the Philippines call for mandatory vaccinations
This goes against an earlier circular released by the Department of Labour and Employment, which called “no vaccine, no work” policies discriminatory.
Bank of Thailand relaxes debt assistance to support businesses
This includes the adjustment of its soft loan scheme to support liquidity for both existing and new SME borrowers by expanding their credit line.
Japan encourages telework to bring down COVID-19 cases
Last week, Japan extended its state of emergency in Tokyo and other regions, and announced new measures that covered seven more prefectures.
Cambodia to negotiate next year’s minimum wage
Worker unions and labour rights groups want the minimum wage to increase from US$192 to US$200 a month.
South Koreans worked 200 more hours than OECD average last year
In the region, Australia recorded 1,683 hours per annum, while New Zealand logged 1,739 hours in the year.
Malaysia’s Sosco fosters partnerships to boost employment
As of July this year, some 150,000 formal workers have lost their jobs, while over 768,700 individuals remain unemployed.
Australian firms urged to study impact of staff vaccination incentives
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has cautioned that firms offering staff vaccination incentives could be exposed to compensation claims.
Vietnam’s unemployment worsens amid COVID-19 pandemic
On average, over 11,300 companies withdraw from the labour market each month, across various industries.
Vietnam seeks to roll out more tax breaks for businesses
These include a 30% cut in corporate income tax, and a 30% value-added tax cut for businesses in sectors hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Thailand needs US$30 billion more to support the economy
By end-2021, jobless numbers are forecasted to hit 3.4 million, up from 3 million in Q2’ 2021, reported the country’s central bank chief.
Taiwan sees low labour participation rate from older workers
Among Taiwan’s middle-aged and older populations, some 5.74 million people were unemployed last year, citing reasons such as their age.
Over 20,000 roles available in Singapore’s infocomm sector
The number of roles still available comes after almost 16,200 job seekers were placed in positions within the sector at end-May.
Taiwan extends subsidy for workers with pay cut
From August 23, workers whose income fell by at least 20% during July would be able to apply for the subsidy.
South Korea’s wages lag behind OECD average
The annual wage for employees in South Korea posted US$41,960 on average in 2020, compared to the OECD average of US$49,165.
Easing of restrictions would help boost businesses in Malaysia
In 2020, the MSME sector, spanning over 1.15 million businesses, employed 7.3 million people, or almost half of the country’s workforce.
South Korea add more jobs but growth slows down in July
COVID-19 curbs slowed down job growth in July, although the country reported job additions for its fifth consecutive month.