Hong Kong pushes for weekly COVID-19 test for public workers
Unvaccinated government staff may need to get tested for COVID-19 every week instead of once every two weeks.
Largest business lobby in Japan calls for more female worker support
Keidanren aims to reduce the number of women who are forced to quit their jobs to care for their children or nursing care for their parents.
Socso supports employment initiatives under new Malaysia Budget
The Social Security Organization (Socso) will give its full support to the government’s plan to strengthen the labour market and expand social safety nets.
Taiwan to disburse wage subsidies to help businesses
Businesses that have seen their revenue decline by at least 20% in September and October from the same period last year will be eligible for the wage subsidies.
Unpaid leave await unvaccinated public officers in Singapore
Medically eligible public officers who opt to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 may be asked to take unpaid leave.
Japan’s top union leader vows for better worker wages and conditions
Tomoko Yoshino said that gender inequality is also interwoven into Japan’s tax and pension system, and is part of a wider problem on workers’ rights.
Number of South Koreans outside labour force drops
The number of people outside the labour force fell 0.6% in August compared to that of 2020, driven by more people wanting to be employed again.
Malaysia’s bolstered policies key to speed up industry transformation
The Malaysia Productivity Corporation says that a conducive business environment is crucial to boosting productivity and competitiveness.
Singapore sees net gain of 30,000 newly registered companies
Between March last year and September 2021, more than 73,000 business entities ceased operations, while nearly 103,600 were formed.
Japan to review COVID-19 subsidies for businesses
Officials are concerned that small and medium-sized firms in the country will grow to be overly depend on the subsidies.
Vietnam’s unemployment insurance supports over 5 million workers
More than 5 million workers affected by the pandemic have received assistance from the unemployment insurance fund.
New Zealand’s unemployment falls to record low in Q3’21
The number of unemployed people declined by 18,000 in the third quarter to 98,000, and marks the lowest unemployment level since 2008.
Singapore to raise retirement and re-employment ages
The retirement and re-employment ages for employees will be progressively raised under the law to enable older Singaporeans to continue working.
Malaysia to equip workers with more digital skills
An enhanced hiring and training incentive programme targets businesses that are offering digital tech and services roles.
Business recovery to receive boost in Metro Manila
The government is planning to lower Metro Manila’s pandemic restrictions to Alert Level 2 from November 15 until the end of the year.
Japan’s job availability improves in September
On October 1, the government lifted the country’s state of emergency amid a sharp drop in new COVID-19 cases, prompting businesses to hire staff.
How CHROs can help build the future organisation
HRM Asia’s CHRO Online Series 2021 continues November 18 with CHRO Malaysia re-examining the role of HR leaders in the future organisation.
Malaysia’s 2022 budget to focus on job creation
One of the main priorities of next year’s budget is creating employment opportunities in a time when many have lost their jobs or had their salaries cut.
South Korea’s wage divide between sectors widens
Workers in internet service firms saw their pay rising in the first half of 2021, while those in the travel sector experienced a slump.
Lower-wage workers in Singapore to get pay increase
Workers with gross monthly salaries of up to S$2,000 (US$1,482) should get a 4.5% to 7.5% raise of between S$70 (US$51.9) and S$90 (US$66.7).
Hong Kong to offer flexible employment for mothers
Chief Executive Carrie Lam noted that it was important to retain mothers in the workforce while offering them better childcare support.
Malaysia priorities safety of employees working from home
Malaysia is making amendments to the Employment Act 1955 on flexible work to ensure employees can work safely from home.
Low wage workers to benefit from Australia’s new superannuation law
The introduction of the regulation will abolish the current A$450 minimum threshold for workers to qualify for superannuation.
Singapore’s resident employment increased in Q3
The Manpower Ministry (MOM) said the labour market saw a rise in resident employment and fewer retrenchments compared to Q2.
South Korea’s presidential hopeful mulls four-day workweek pledge
Lee Jae-myung believes that the implementation of a four-day workweek will create more jobs and cut working hours in the country.
13th-month pay in the Philippines to be pro-rated
The Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) has issued guidelines on the release of the 13th month pay for this year.
Employers in Malaysia required to bear full cost of hiring foreign workers
Foreign workers are currently required to undergo a mandatory quarantine period of seven days at a government-certified quarantine centre.
Indonesia considers minimum wage increase in 2022
The speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives says doing so will improve the welfare of workers affected by the pandemic.
Australian business groups call for uniformed COVID-19 vaccine mandates
The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (Cosboa) said a standardised approach would offer clarity for small businesses.
Technology can play key role in advancing careers in Asia-Pacific
A new study by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence found that employees believe technology will help support and advance their careers.