Most employers are not considering adjusting their staff’s salary even as remote working has become a trend.
The continued closure due to movement controls will inevitably lead to bankruptcy and unemployment, cautions the Malaysian Employers’ Federation.
Key government agencies have signed a joint memorandum circular to set up the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) Task Force.
Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the go-ahead for financial aid costing 40 billion baht to help employees left out under previous schemes.
The unemployment rate fell unexpectedly and salaries increased, ruling out the probability that the central bank will reduce interest rates.
The supplementary budget is reported to be in the scale of 20 trillion won (US$17.9 billion) to 30 trillion won (US$26.8 billion).
Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the government will not impose a strict lockdown as it would impact the country’s 900,000 SMEs severely.
The decision was made after a review from government officials, academics and business representatives showed majority consensus.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has called on the government to provide immediate subsidies for workers struggling financially.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has fined 42 more companies for not following workplace safety regulations.
While the number of regular jobs increased 0.5% in 2020, that of non-regular jobs — including part-time roles — fell 3.9%.
This will help the country manage the economy better, and help industry players affected by the pandemic, Malaysia's HR minister says.
India’s lockdown period saw companies adopt a WFH arrangement for their staff, cutting down on staff strength, hiring freelancers and outsourcing tasks.
The survey by business lobby Keidanren also found that the number of people commuting to work was reduced by 65%, or around 870,000.
At the end of 2020, resident employment increased by 28,900, rising for the second consecutive quarter after growing 43,200 in 3Q.
The third phase of the country’s wage subsidy programme will receive an additional injection of RM500 million.
Out of those who could retain their jobs, about 83% of women workers in India faced a severe income drop, said Oxfam India.
Multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce co-chair and education minister Lawrence Wong has said a total work-from-home arrangement is “not doable”.
The Tourism Council of Thailand wants to implement a dedicated support programme for tourism workers to reskill and upskill by March.
Japan’s Business Federation says companies should have more financial leeway and pay hikes are unrealistic amid the economic uncertainty.
A strong, effective and sustainable lending mechanism is important to remove credit barriers facing SMEs.
The government’s intervention and support are crucial in the early stage of innovation and tech development, says city financial chief.
The government’s strategy to mitigate the effects of the pandemic should be to upskill or reskill workers instead of continuing to pay wage subsidies.
The Korea Employment Information Service (Keis) said South Korea’s income gap increased by 4% year-on-year in 2020 due to the fallout from COVID-19.
Twenty-five MPs have appealed to the government to implement six months of automatic loan moratorium to save jobs.
Under current safe management measures, peak-hour travel on public transport in January has risen by 11%, compared to November 2020.
To overcome the fallout from the pandemic, Indonesia has urged fellow ASEAN member countries to accelerate digitalisation.
The proportion of teleworkers fell to 22% in mid-January, from 31.5 % in May 2020, when the country was under its first state of emergency.
Member of the Japan House of Councillors Kuniko Inoguchi is backing a bill that would give workers a four-day work week.
The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has committed to the quick implementation of the Permai financial package.
