Malaysia eschews strict lockdown to keep jobs

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.
Hong Kong’s minimum wage to remain at HK$37.50 an hour

The decision was made after a review from government officials, academics and business representatives showed majority consensus.
Union calls for wage subsidies in the Philippines

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has called on the government to provide immediate subsidies for workers struggling financially.
Singapore fines companies which breached COVID-19 safety rules

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has fined 42 more companies for not following workplace safety regulations.
Companies in Malaysia to help with COVID-19 vaccination and tests

This will help the country manage the economy better, and help industry players affected by the pandemic, Malaysia’s HR minister says.
New Zealand’s union calls for sick leave for new employees

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) is pushing for the removal of the rule that workers must be employed for six months before getting sick leave.
Taiwan protects working rights of middle-aged and senior workers

The Executive Yuan has passed a new Act to address the challenges of an ageing population and potential future labour shortages.
Only 37% of firms meet Japan government’s push to telecommute

The survey by business lobby Keidanren also found that the number of people commuting to work was reduced by 65%, or around 870,000.
Malaysia’s wage subsidies total RM20.7 billion in payouts

The third phase of the country’s wage subsidy programme will receive an additional injection of RM500 million.
Women in India hit harder in employment due to pandemic

Out of those who could retain their jobs, about 83% of women workers in India faced a severe income drop, said Oxfam India.
Top employers are reinventing the role of HR

Working with Asia-Pacific’s top organisations, Top Employers Institute is continuing to identify trends in HR strategies and workplace practices.
Employers in Singapore urged to adopt hybrid working arrangements

Multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce co-chair and education minister Lawrence Wong has said a total work-from-home arrangement is “not doable”.
Pandemic dulls outlook for pay hikes at Japan’s annual wage talks

Japan’s Business Federation says companies should have more financial leeway and pay hikes are unrealistic amid the economic uncertainty.
Majority of employees in Taiwan generally satisfied with jobs

A survey by the Ministry of Labour (MOL) found that 71.2% of workers were generally satisfied with their jobs, with 3.7% being dissatisfied.
Malaysia: Reskilling workers better strategy than wage subsidies

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.
Japan government revises paternity leave to promote time off

The government has been encouraging men to take paternity leave, but the practice is not common in Japan, which suffers from a declining birth rate.
Pandemic causes South Korea’s wage disparity to widen

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.
Singapore maintains work-from-home as default option

Under current safe management measures, peak-hour travel on public transport in January has risen by 11%, compared to November 2020.
China mulls harsher penalties for workplace safety breaches

Lawmakers are proposing heavier disciplinary measures on workplaces which violate workplace safety in an effort to enhance risk management.
Japanese politician proposes 4-day work week

Member of the Japan House of Councillors Kuniko Inoguchi is backing a bill that would give workers a four-day work week.
Malaysia steps up delivery of Permai package

The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has committed to the quick implementation of the Permai financial package.
More South Korean workers are working two jobs

Among new recruits last December, some 407,000 people had experience working at a second job, data shows.
Trade bodies in Singapore support fair hiring and employment practices

Twenty-nine organisations from the Trade Associations & Chambers (TACs) have pledged their support for fair hiring and employment practices.
India proposes WFH for manufacturing industry

The government is considering whether some activity under the manufacturing sector should also have the flexibility to work from home (WFH).
Australian companies deploy hybrid work model

Australia’s Commonwealth Bank intends to keep a hybrid model of staff working from the office and home.
Crucial to protect workers’ rights as teleworking becomes the norm: UN

Problems facing workers who work from home and their employers need greater attention, including the rights and risks involved, says the ILO.
Flexi work arrangements can improve employees’ mental health

In Singapore, as more employees head back to the office, giving them more flexibility over work arrangements can boost their mental well-being.
Malaysian unions urge government to prevent retrenchments as MCO starts

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress had previously proposed emergency employment laws to be enacted to prevent businesses from retrenching workers.
Health and safety are at the heart of business continuity

John Sumser explains why organisations need to priortise health and safety as they explore approaches to create business continuity.
Singapore seeks to raise wages of bottom-rung workers

Senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the country needs to raise the salaries of workers at the bottom of the ladder.