Majority of self-employed Malaysians lack social security protection
Only 15.5% or 369,107 self-employed people in Malaysia are contributing to the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SESSS).
South Korea mandates some workplaces to provide rest facilities
The labour ministry is now making it compulsory for all workplaces employing a certain number of regular employees to provide rest facilities for their staff.
Establishing workplace wellbeing plans in New Zealand
Companies are encouraged to gather opinions from their employees and use the information as a basis for the programme.
Workplace portal for mothers created in Australia
Supporting young families in mind, the online portal for workplaces provides resources and information about pregnancy and mothers returning to work.
Malaysian companies explore alternative employee benefits
To retain talent and boost productivity, companies are offering employee stock option plans (ESOPs) to their employees.
Malaysia channels RM21 billion to wage subsidy programme
The government has also helped place workers in jobs and reserved a quota of 1% of job placements for young people with disabilities.
Japan pushes for higher take-up of paternity leave
While a record number of men took paternity leave in Japan last year, the figure still falls short of the government’s goal of reaching 30% by 2025.
Lawmaker calls for 14th month pay in the Philippines
A lawmaker has filed a bill pushing for a 14th month pay for all employees in the public and private sectors amid rising inflation.
India has no plans to provide menstrual leave
There are no proposals being examined to include such leave in regulations, said India’s Union Minister for Women and Child Development.
Businesses in Japan urged to pay employees more
The government has urged companies to raise wages on par with price hikes of around 2%, a level the central bank has set as its inflation target.
Australia moves to provide casual workers with sick leave
The Victorian state government has paid out A$6m, covering over 30,000 workers who have signed up to its pilot scheme to trial sick leave for casuals.
Minimum wage in Thailand set to rise by 5-8%
A new hike in minimum daily wages of between 5% and 8% is expected in September, since the rates have remained unchanged for over two years.
Some companies in Malaysia defy minimum wage rule
The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has claimed that there are still several companies which have not complied with the new minimum wage rule.
Informal workers in Indonesia hit all-time high
In the early days of the pandemic, the percentage of informal workers was 56.64%, but this continued to increase till almost 60% as of this February.
New laws in Australia push for paid domestic violence leave
More than 11 million Australians, including about 2.4 million casual workers, will soon have access to 10 days of paid domestic violence leave.
Relief package for self-employed in South Korea
41 trillion won (US$31.3 billion) over two years in special loans will be provided to self-employed and merchants hard hit by pandemic restrictions.
Firms in Malaysia told to pay minimum wage rate
The Ministry of Human Resources has so far found 118 employers in breach of the Minimum Wages Order 2022, which has been in effect since May 1.
Japan to launch ministry promoting startups
It aims to increase the number of startups in the country by 10 times over five years, further driving the nation’s economic growth.
Malaysia has no plans to introduce menstrual leave
Female employees reportedly do not request for menstrual-related leave due to embarrassment and a fear of being seen as unproductive.
Employees of SMEs in Japan to be paid more
To retain and attract talent, 50.9% of SMEs have either implemented or plan to implement a raise in wages in fiscal year 2022.
Australians want superannuation to be paid on parental leave
Some 80% respondents to a survey supported the move, indicating clear community support for paying superannuation on parental leave.
HRM Asia Readers’ Choice Awards 2022: Nominations closing soon!
Nominations for the coveted HRM Asia Readers’ Choice Awards 2022 will close on August 31, so act now before it’s too late!
Remuneration key to retaining employees in Singapore
Driven by a mix of factors, more than half of Singapore employees (51%) are likely to quit their jobs in the next 12 months.
Malaysia urged to cover workers’ wages for maternity leave
From September 1, the cost of the 90-day maternity leave would be fully borne by employers in Malaysia, without government support.
South Korean business lobby calls for wage growth to slow down
A continued growth in wage will weaken business competitiveness and lead to price hikes and inflation, claimed the Federation of Korean Industries.
Australia urged to regulate gig platforms
About 13.8% of working age people living in Victoria have taken gig work with such platforms, and 7.4% are currently doing so.
Malaysia disburses RM21 billion in wage subsidies
The government’s third tranche of wage subsidy programme has helped keep 1.53 million workers in employment.
China’s labour market sees improvement in first half of 2022
The government has pledged continued business support and relief measures to ensure employment stays strong in the country.
Laos to raise minimum wage from August 1
The monthly minimum wage in the country will be increased to 1.2 million kip (US$78) starting on August 1.
Why companies can’t hire their way out of the tech talent crunch
Stephen Koss, EY Asia-Pacific Workforce Advisory Leader, provides tips for creating a multi-faceted approach to hiring and talent sourcing.