The HR Ministry has urged government-linked companies and private firms to implement menstrual leave policies without waiting for legislation.
The deployment of the fifth-generation network (5G) in the country has been projected to create about 148,000 new jobs.
Malaysia’s labour market momentum escalated in the first quarter of 2022 as both demand and supply ascended further.
A social accountability scheme will advance the sustainability efforts of companies and will be in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Malaysia's Parliament has amended the Employment Act, which will extend the three-day paternity leave to seven days.
The number of employed persons rose to a record high of 15.77 million in March 2022 from 15.73 million in the preceding month.
The SME Association of Malaysia has cautioned that businesses may shutter or cut manpower if the costs of basic wages are too high to shoulder.
The labour force has been recovering gradually since 2021, and a stronger recovery is expected this year, said the finance minister.
The government is concerned over the needs and welfare of some four million Malaysians working in the gig economy.
The new minimum wage rate of RM1,500 (US$344) has been officially gazetted and took effect nationwide on May 1.
The increase in workers’ wages will raise business cost and stall the economic recovery of businesses, said business organisation.
The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has come under fire over a call to cut the wages of employees working from home.
The government has channeled RM20.68 billion (US$4.78 billion) to 357,703 employers via its Wage Subsidy Programme (WSP) as of April 8.
Beside the wage hike, the government also aims to create 300,000 jobs for the homeless this year, under its Zero Homelessness Initiative.
The National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) has expressed its disappointment over the hike in minimum wage.
These include the informal sector, companies employing less than five workers, and businesses facing huge losses because of the pandemic.
Most employers are not ready to adopt a four-day workweek, noted the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers.
The number of unemployed persons continued its fall by 1.3% to 671,000 in February from 680,400 in January this year.
To preserve 2.96 million local jobs, the government has disbursed RM20.63 billion (US$4.9 billion) in wages subsidies as of March 18 this year.
The bill, which was passed with a unanimous vote, would ensure women employees get enough rest and attract more women to enter the job market.
Malaysia’s new minimum wage rate of RM1,500 (US$357) will take effect on May 1, and is an increase of 25% from the previous minimum wage.
As the country moves into the endemic stage on April 1, employers will get to decide whether to continue work-from-home (WFH) or hybrid arrangements.
Job vacancies registered on the MyFutureJobs portal grew by 232.8% to 2,480,577 openings in 2021 compared to 745,304 in 2020.
By 2025, the government plans for SMEs to contribute 45% of GDP to the country, in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan, says the Prime Minister
Calling the increase "too much, too soon", industry associations urged the government to consider a gradual wage increase over three years instead.
The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2021 enhances protection against discrimination, safeguards well-being, and offers flexible work options for workers.
The minimum wage rate would apply to private sector companies nationwide that are employing a minimum of five workers.
An amendment to the Employment Act allowing three days of paid paternity leave was previously proposed, but the NGOs said that it was insufficient.
The minimum wage rate is slated to increase from RM1,200 to RM1,500 in the near future, said the human resource minister.
The minimum wage for workers in the country was last raised from RM1,100 to RM1,200 in February 2020, said the Malaysian Trades Union Congress.
